Method and apparatus for monitoring the passage of articles through a modular processing system

Claim 3

The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said means for associatively activating a logical article path comprises: first shift register means having a storage location assigned to each logical path; means for placing an entry in the first storage location of said first shaft register means; and means for shifting the entry one position in said first shift register means in response to each entry of an article into the processing system.

Claim 4

The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said means for updatably storing the position of an associated article comprises a second shift register means.

Claim 5

The apparatus of claim 3 wherein said means coupled to said memory means for periodically updating said memory means comprises: position sensing means in each module of said modular article processing system for generating article position signals responsive to the presence of an article; logic gate means receiving said position signals for storing an entry of the most recent location of said associated article within said processing system, said logic gate means for correlating said position signals and a said stored entry to update both the location stored in said second shift register means and the location in said logic gate means representing the most recent location of said associated article.

Claim 6

The apparatus of claim 4 wherein said processing system failure detection means comprises: retriggerable timing means for generating an output signal if said retriggerable timing means is not retriggered within a selected time interval; means for triggering said retriggerable means in response to said position signals; and means receiving the output signal from said retriggerable means for generating an error signal in response thereto.

Claim 7

The apparatus of claim 5 wherein said decode means coupled to said failure detection means comprises: means for correlating said error signal and the location stored in said second shift register means for indicating the module within said modular processing system wherein said error has occurred.

Claim 8

Apparatus for detecting and locating article jams within a modular serial article processing system, said apparatus comprising: a plurality of updatable memory means for storing data indicating the position of associated articles being processed serially along an article path within said modular article processing system; means for associating one of said plural memory means with each article entered into said modular processing system, whereby each article will be associated with an individual updatable memory means while it is being processed in said processing system; means for updating a said memory means responsive to a change in location within the modular processing system of an article associated with said memory means; means for detecting an article jam if a said memory means is not updated within a predetermined time period; and, article jam locating means cooperating with said article jam detecting means for determining the position of the article causing the jam within said modular article processing system.

Claim 9

Apparatus for detecting and locating article jams within a modular serial article processing system, said apparatus comprising: a plurality of updatable memory means for storing data indicating the position of associated articles being processed serially along an article path within said modular article processing system; means for associating one of said plural memory means with each article entered into said modular processing system, whereby each article will be associated with an individual updatable memory means while it is being processed in said processing system; means for updating a said memory means responsive to a change in location within the modular processing system of an article associated with said memory means; means for detecting an article jam if a said memory means is not updated within a predetermined time period; and, article jam locating means cooperating with said article jam detecting means for determining the position of the article causing the jam within said modular article processing system.

Claim 10

In a modular article processing system which includes a feeder module for feeding articles into said system, at least one processing module coupled to the feeder module for processing articles fed by said feeder module and a receiver module, coupled to said at least one processing module, a system for detecting article jams within said modular processing system, comprising: feed sensor means for generating a feed sensor signal for every article fed by said feeder module; first article sensor means within said at least one processing module for generating a signal upon an article entering said processing module; a second article sensor within said at least one module for generating a signal upon an article entering said processing module; a plurality of logical article paths for tracking the position of articles within said article processing system; logical article path actuator means for activating a logical article path upon the occurrence of a said feed sensor signal; updatable article position memory means for storing data indicating the position within the article processing system of the article associated with said activated logical article path; article tracking update means receiving the signals from said first sensor means and said second sensor means within each of said processing modules for updating the article position memory means in said activated article path in response to a change in location of said associated article within said article processing system; jam detector means for generating an error signal upon the failure of said article position memory means to be updated within a predetermined time period; and, decoder means receiving the jam detector signal for determining the position of said jam within said modular processing system.

Claim 11

In a modular article processing system which includes a feeder module for feeding articles into said system, at least one processing module coupled to the feeder module for processing articles fed by said feeder module and a receiver module, coupled to said at least one processing module, a system for detecting article jams within said modular processing system, comprising: feed sensor means for generating a feed sensor signal for every article fed by said feeder module; first article sensor means within said at least one processing module for generating a signal upon an article entering said processing module; a second article sensor within said at least one module for generating a signal upon an article entering said processing module; a plurality of logical article paths for tracking the position of articles within said article processing system; logical article path actuator means for activating a logical article path upon the occurrence of a said feed sensor signal; updatable article position memory means for storing data indicating the position within the article processing system of the article associated with said activated logical article path; article tracking update means receiving the signals from said first sensor means and said second sensor means within each of said processing modules for updating the article position memory means in said activated article path in response to a change in location of said associated article within said article processing system; jam detector means for generating an error signal upon the failure of said article position memory means to be updated within a predetermined time period; and, decoder means receiving the jam detector signal for determining the position of said jam within said modular processing system.