Insertion machine with speed optimization

Claim 3

The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of: adjusting said actual machine cycle speed in accordance with the result of comparison of step (i).

Claim 4

The method of claim 1, wherein said actual machine cycle speed is increased if said productivity index obtained in step (g) is greater than said percentage obtained in step (h).

Claim 5

The method of claim 2, wherein said actual machine cycle speed is decreased if said productivity index obtained in step (g) is less than said percentage obtained in step (h).

Claim 8

The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of: (j) using said new forecast as said previous forecast; and, (k) repeating steps (d) through (i) for a next interval.

Claim 9

An insertion machine comprising: a track; a plurality of feeders which feed documents onto said track in a manner whereby related ones of said documents are associated into a set of such documents; enveloping means for enveloping a set of associated documents in an enveloping medium; drive means for cylically operating said track, said feeders, and said enveloping means in accordance with a machine cycle; means for monitoring said machine cycle and obtaining an actual machine cycle speed; means for establishing a time interval whereby, for each of a plurality of successive such time intervals, the performance of said machine can be evaluated; means for determining, for a most recent time interval, an indication of the number of sets of documents said machine can be expected to successfully envelope during a unit of time; means for establishing a weighting factor weighting information obtained with respect to said most recent interval relative to information accumulatively averaged over preceding time intervals; developing a new forecast of the projected number of sets of documents said machine is expected to successfully envelope during said unit of time by averaging said indication of the number of sets of documents said machine can be expected to successfully envelope during a unit of time with a previous forecast, said previous forecast being either: (i) an accumulatively averaged number of sets successfully enveloped for a unit of time during previous intervals; or, (ii) upon commencement of said machine, a predetermined default value; means for determining a percentage productivity index by dividing said new forecast by said actual machine cycle speed; means for determining a percentage operating speed by dividing said actual machine cycle speed by a value indicative of a maximum rated machine cycle speed; and, means for comparing said percentage productivity index with the percentage operating speed to determine whether the actual machine cycling speed should be changed to result in a greater actual throughput of successfully enveloped sets of documents.

Claim 10

An insertion machine comprising: a track; a plurality of feeders which feed documents onto said track in a manner whereby related ones of said documents are associated into a set of such documents; enveloping means for enveloping a set of associated documents in an enveloping medium; drive means for cylically operating said track, said feeders, and said enveloping means in accordance with a machine cycle; means for monitoring said machine cycle and obtaining an actual machine cycle speed; means for establishing a time interval whereby, for each of a plurality of successive such time intervals, the performance of said machine can be evaluated; means for determining, for a most recent time interval, an indication of the number of sets of documents said machine can be expected to successfully envelope during a unit of time; means for establishing a weighting factor weighting information obtained with respect to said most recent interval relative to information accumulatively averaged over preceding time intervals; developing a new forecast of the projected number of sets of documents said machine is expected to successfully envelope during said unit of time by averaging said indication of the number of sets of documents said machine can be expected to successfully envelope during a unit of time with a previous forecast, said previous forecast being either: (i) an accumulatively averaged number of sets successfully enveloped for a unit of time during previous intervals; or, (ii) upon commencement of said machine, a predetermined default value; means for determining a percentage productivity index by dividing said new forecast by said actual machine cycle speed; means for determining a percentage operating speed by dividing said actual machine cycle speed by a value indicative of a maximum rated machine cycle speed; and, means for comparing said percentage productivity index with the percentage operating speed to determine whether the actual machine cycling speed should be changed to result in a greater actual throughput of successfully enveloped sets of documents.

Claim 11

The apparatus of claim 7, further comprising: means for adjusting said actual machine cycle speed in accordance with the result of said comparison.

Claim 12

The apparatus of claim 8, wherein said actual machine cycle speed is increased if said productivity index is greater than said percentage operating speed.

Claim 13

The apparatus of claim 7, wherein said actual machine cycle speed is decreased if said productivity index obtained in step (g) is less than said percentage obtained in step (h).

Claim 16

An insertion machine comprising: a track; a plurality of feeders which: feed documents onto said track in a manner whereby related ones of said documents are associated into a set of such documents; enveloping means for enveloping a set of associated documents in an enveloping medium; drive means for cylically operating said track, said feeders, and said enveloping means in accordance with a machine cycle; a memory; means for monitoring said machine cycle and for storing an indication of actual machine cycle speed in said memory; means for inputting into and storing in said memory an indication of a time interval whereby, for each of a plurality of successive such time intervals, the performance of said machine can be evaluated; means for inputting into and storing in said memory an indication of a weighting factor for weighting information obtained with respect to said most recent interval relative to information accumulatively averaged over preceding time intervals; means for determining, for a most recent time interval, an indication of the number of sets of documents said machine can be expected to successfully envelope during a unit of time, said means for making said determination of the expected number of successfully enveloped sets further comprising: detection means for detecting a successfully enveloped set of documents; counter means for counting successfully enveloped sets of documents; arithmetic logic means for determining the expected number of successfully enveloped sets per unit of time based on a number of successfully enveloped sets counted by said counter means; and, means for storing said expected number of successfully enveloped sets in said memory; means for developing a new forecast of the projected number of sets of documents said machine is expected to successfully envelope during said unit of time by averaging said indication of the number of sets of documents said machine can be expected to successfully envelope during a unit of time with a previous forecast, said previous forecast being either (i) an accumulatively averaged number of the number of sets successfully enveloped for a unit of time during previous intervals; or, (ii) upon commencement of said machine, a predetermined default value, said means for developing a new forecast comprising: means for accessing said memory to obtain therefrom at least indications of said weighting factor, said accumulatively averaged number of sets successfully enveloped for a unit of time during previous intervals, and said indication of the number of sets said machine can be expected to successfully envelope during a unit of time; arithmetic logic means for utilizing said weighting factor, said accumulatively averaged number of sets successfully enveloped for a unit of time during previous intervals, and said indication of the number of sets said machine can be expected to successfully envelope during a unit of time, to develop said new forecast; and, means for storing said new forecast in said memory; production index determination means, said productivity index calculation means comprising: means for accessing said memory to obtain therefrom at least indications of said new forecast and said actual machine cycle speed; arithmetic logic means for dividing said new forecast by said actual machine cycle speed; and, means for storing said percentage productivity index in said memory; means for determining percentage operating speed comprising: means for accessing said memory to obtain therefrom at least indications of said actual machine cycle speed and a maximum rated machine cycle speed; arithmetic logic means for dividing said actual machine cycle speed by said maximum rated machine cycle speed; and, means for storing said percentage operating speed in said memory; and, means for determining whether the machine cycle speed should be changed to result in a greater actual throughput of successfully enveloped sets of documents, said determining means comprising: means for accessing said memory to obtain therefrom at least indications of said percentage productivity index and said percentage operating speed; means for comparing said percentage productivity index and said percentage operating speed; and, means for providing an indication of said comparison.

Claim 17

An insertion machine comprising: a track; a plurality of feeders which: feed documents onto said track in a manner whereby related ones of said documents are associated into a set of such documents; enveloping means for enveloping a set of associated documents in an enveloping medium; drive means for cylically operating said track, said feeders, and said enveloping means in accordance with a machine cycle; a memory; means for monitoring said machine cycle and for storing an indication of actual machine cycle speed in said memory; means for inputting into and storing in said memory an indication of a time interval whereby, for each of a plurality of successive such time intervals, the performance of said machine can be evaluated; means for inputting into and storing in said memory an indication of a weighting factor for weighting information obtained with respect to said most recent interval relative to information accumulatively averaged over preceding time intervals; means for determining, for a most recent time interval, an indication of the number of sets of documents said machine can be expected to successfully envelope during a unit of time, said means for making said determination of the expected number of successfully enveloped sets further comprising: detection means for detecting a successfully enveloped set of documents; counter means for counting successfully enveloped sets of documents; arithmetic logic means for determining the expected number of successfully enveloped sets per unit of time based on a number of successfully enveloped sets counted by said counter means; and, means for storing said expected number of successfully enveloped sets in said memory; means for developing a new forecast of the projected number of sets of documents said machine is expected to successfully envelope during said unit of time by averaging said indication of the number of sets of documents said machine can be expected to successfully envelope during a unit of time with a previous forecast, said previous forecast being either (i) an accumulatively averaged number of the number of sets successfully enveloped for a unit of time during previous intervals; or, (ii) upon commencement of said machine, a predetermined default value, said means for developing a new forecast comprising: means for accessing said memory to obtain therefrom at least indications of said weighting factor, said accumulatively averaged number of sets successfully enveloped for a unit of time during previous intervals, and said indication of the number of sets said machine can be expected to successfully envelope during a unit of time; arithmetic logic means for utilizing said weighting factor, said accumulatively averaged number of sets successfully enveloped for a unit of time during previous intervals, and said indication of the number of sets said machine can be expected to successfully envelope during a unit of time, to develop said new forecast; and, means for storing said new forecast in said memory; production index determination means, said productivity index calculation means comprising: means for accessing said memory to obtain therefrom at least indications of said new forecast and said actual machine cycle speed; arithmetic logic means for dividing said new forecast by said actual machine cycle speed; and, means for storing said percentage productivity index in said memory; means for determining percentage operating speed comprising: means for accessing said memory to obtain therefrom at least indications of said actual machine cycle speed and a maximum rated machine cycle speed; arithmetic logic means for dividing said actual machine cycle speed by said maximum rated machine cycle speed; and, means for storing said percentage operating speed in said memory; and, means for determining whether the machine cycle speed should be changed to result in a greater actual throughput of successfully enveloped sets of documents, said determining means comprising: means for accessing said memory to obtain therefrom at least indications of said percentage productivity index and said percentage operating speed; means for comparing said percentage productivity index and said percentage operating speed; and, means for providing an indication of said comparison.

Claim 18

The apparatus of claim 12, further comprising: means for adjusting said actual machine cycle speed in accordance with the result of said comparison.

Claim 19

The apparatus of claim 12, wherein said actual machine cycle speed is increased if said productivity index is greater than said percentage representation of actual machine cycle speed.

Claim 20

The apparatus of claim 12, wherein said actual machine cycle speed is decreased if said productivity index obtained in step (g) is less than said percentage obtained in step (h).

Claim 25

An insertion machine comprising: a track; a plurality of feeders which feed documents onto said track in a manner whereby related ones of said documents are associated into a set of such documents; enveloping means for enveloping a set of associated documents in an enveloping medium; drive means for cylically operating said track, said feeders, and said enveloping means in accordance with a machine cycle; means for monitoring said machine cycle and obtaining a machine cycle speed; means for determining an indication of the number of sets of documents said machine successfully enveloped during a unit of time; speed control means for using said machine cycle speed and said indication of the number of sets of documents successfully enveloped during a unit of time to determine whether the rate at which said machine performs said functions should be changed to result in a greater number of successfully enveloped sets of documents during a unit of time; and, means connected to said speed control means for automatically changing said machine cycle rate.

Claim 26

An insertion machine comprising: a track; a plurality of feeders which feed documents onto said track in a manner whereby related ones of said documents are associated into a set of such documents; enveloping means for enveloping a set of associated documents in an enveloping medium; drive means for cylically operating said track, said feeders, and said enveloping means in accordance with a machine cycle; means for monitoring said machine cycle and obtaining a machine cycle speed; means for determining an indication of the number of sets of documents said machine successfully enveloped during a unit of time; speed control means for using said machine cycle speed and said indication of the number of sets of documents successfully enveloped during a unit of time to determine whether the rate at which said machine performs said functions should be changed to result in a greater number of successfully enveloped sets of documents during a unit of time; and, means connected to said speed control means for automatically changing said machine cycle rate.