Arrangement for driving a plurality of non-mechanical printer devices in tandem operation

Claim 1

A device for driving a plurality of printers for operation in tandem wherein a web-shaped recording medium is first printed by a first of said plurality of printers and then is selectively supplied to at least one subsequent printer, comprising: an independently operating control arrangement for each of said plurality of printers; an external data source coupled to each of said control arrangements; and said control arrangement each having a data control level and means for synchronization including a device control level coupling said plurality of printers; a coordination control unit allocated to each of said printers; data lines connecting said coordination control units to one another to provide communication therebetween; and an arbitrary one of said coordination control units being a master coordination control unit.

Claim 2

A device for driving a plurality of printers for operation in tandem wherein a web-shaped recording medium is first printed by a first of said plurality of printers and then is selectively supplied to at least one subsequent printer, comprising: an independently operating control arrangement for each of said plurality of printers; an external data source coupled to each of said control arrangements; and said control arrangement each having a data control level and means for synchronization including a device control level coupling said plurality of printers; a coordination control unit allocated to each of said printers; data lines connecting said coordination control units to one another to provide communication therebetween; and an arbitrary one of said coordination control units being a master coordination control unit.

Claim 7

A device for driving a plurality of printers for operation in tandem wherein a web-shaped recording medium is first printed by a first of said plurality of printers and then is selectively supplied to at least one subsequent printer, comprising: an independently operating control arrangement for each of said plurality of printers; an external data source coupled to each of said control arrangements; said control arrangements each having a data control level and means for synchronization, said means for synchronization including a device control level coupling said plurality of printers; a coordination control unit allocated to each of said printers; data lines connecting said coordination control units to one another to provide communication therebetween; an arbitrary one of said coordination control units being a master coordination control unit; means for paper length compensation being a loop tensioner for said recording medium when the recording medium extends between said printers when operating in tandem; a sensor mounted in at least one of said printers for sensing feeding of the recording medium and thereby generating signals; means for counting pulses in said at least one printer; and said coordination control units controlling paper length capacity by acquiring signals from said sensors in said printers dependent on the feed of the recording medium and supplying pulses to said counting means, said coordination control units comparing readings of said counting means upon interruption in the operation of said printers and determine a sequence of initialization for restarting said printers depending upon the compared readings.

Claim 8

A device for driving a plurality of printers for operation in tandem wherein a web-shaped recording medium is first printed by a first of said plurality of printers and then is selectively supplied to at least one subsequent printer, comprising: an independently operating control arrangement for each of said plurality of printers; an external data source coupled to each of said control arrangements; said control arrangements each having a data control level and means for synchronization, said means for synchronization including a device control level coupling said plurality of printers; a coordination control unit allocated to each of said printers; data lines connecting said coordination control units to one another to provide communication therebetween; an arbitrary one of said coordination control units being a master coordination control unit; means for paper length compensation being a loop tensioner for said recording medium when the recording medium extends between said printers when operating in tandem; a sensor mounted in at least one of said printers for sensing feeding of the recording medium and thereby generating signals; means for counting pulses in said at least one printer; and said coordination control units controlling paper length capacity by acquiring signals from said sensors in said printers dependent on the feed of the recording medium and supplying pulses to said counting means, said coordination control units comparing readings of said counting means upon interruption in the operation of said printers and determine a sequence of initialization for restarting said printers depending upon the compared readings.

Claim 9

A device for driving a plurality of printers for operation in tandem wherein a web-shaped recording medium is first printed by a first of said plurality of printers and then is selectively supplied to at least one subsequent printer, comprising: an independently operating control arrangement for each of said plurality of printers; an external data source coupled to each of said control arrangements; said control arrangements each having a data control level and means for synchronization, said means for synchronization including a device control level coupling said plurality of printers; a coordination control unit allocated to each of said printers; data lines connecting said coordination control units to one another to provide communication therebetween; an arbitrary one of said coordination control units being a master coordination control unit; a first of said printers in a recording medium running direction generating a start mark on the web-shaped recording medium, and a sensor means allocated to following ones of said printers for sensing the start mark to synchronize an initialization of said printers by said coordination units.

Claim 10

A device for driving a plurality of printers for operation in tandem wherein a web-shaped recording medium is first printed by a first of said plurality of printers and then is selectively supplied to at least one subsequent printer, comprising: an independently operating control arrangement for each of said plurality of printers; an external data source coupled to each of said control arrangements; said control arrangements each having a data control level and means for synchronization, said means for synchronization including a device control level coupling said plurality of printers; a coordination control unit allocated to each of said printers; data lines connecting said coordination control units to one another to provide communication therebetween; an arbitrary one of said coordination control units being a master coordination control unit; a first of said printers in a recording medium running direction generating a start mark on the web-shaped recording medium, and a sensor means allocated to following ones of said printers for sensing the start mark to synchronize an initialization of said printers by said coordination units.

Claim 11

A device for driving a plurality of printers for operation in tandem wherein a web-shaped recording medium is first printed by a first of said plurality of printers and then is selectively supplied to at least one subsequent printer, comprising: an independently operating control arrangement for each of said plurality of printers; an external data source coupled to each of said control arrangements; said control arrangements each having a data control level and means for synchronization, said means for synchronization including a device control level coupling said plurality of printers; a coordination control unit allocated to each of said printers; data lines connecting said coordination control units to one another to provide communication therebetween; an arbitrary one of said coordination control units being a master coordination control unit; said printers printing a permanent sychronization mark outside an actual data region on every nth data page of the web-shaped recording medium for synchronization of said printers during operation, sensing means allocated to said printers for sensing the permanent synchronization mark; and said coordination control units identifying deviations in printer operation depending on said sensing means sensing the synchronization mark.

Claim 12

A device for driving a plurality of printers for operation in tandem wherein a web-shaped recording medium is first printed by a first of said plurality of printers and then is selectively supplied to at least one subsequent printer, comprising: an independently operating control arrangement for each of said plurality of printers; an external data source coupled to each of said control arrangements; said control arrangements each having a data control level and means for synchronization, said means for synchronization including a device control level coupling said plurality of printers; a coordination control unit allocated to each of said printers; data lines connecting said coordination control units to one another to provide communication therebetween; an arbitrary one of said coordination control units being a master coordination control unit; said printers printing a permanent sychronization mark outside an actual data region on every nth data page of the web-shaped recording medium for synchronization of said printers during operation, sensing means allocated to said printers for sensing the permanent synchronization mark; and said coordination control units identifying deviations in printer operation depending on said sensing means sensing the synchronization mark.