System and method for controlling an apparatus to produce items in selected configurations

Claim 2

A control system for controlling a process for producing an item, said process comprising operations selected from a plurality of operations, said control system comprising: a) input means for input of information defining a particular output configuration; b) translating means for translating said defining information into a data structure defining a sequence of said operations for producing an item having said particular output configurations; c) control means responsive to said data structure for controlling said process to perform said sequence of said operations on input materials; whereby said input materials are processed to produce said item having said particular output configuration; d) wherein said control means comprises a data processor, said operations comprise sequences of states, and said control means controls said process by executing sequences of state routines in accordance with said data structure, execution of said state routines in accordance with said data structure effecting performance of said states; e) wherein further, said data structure comprises a plurality of data elements, each of said data elements specifying control parameters for one of said operations; f) wherein further, said process is carried out by an apparatus comprising a plurality of devices, said devices operating under control of said state routines to effect said states. g) wherein further, said data elements are each associated with a particular one of said devices; h) wherein further, a plurality of said data elements is associated with one of said particular devices; and, i) wherein each of said plurality of data elements associated with said one particular device is identified by an operation index value, and state routines associated with said one particular device execute in accordance with one of said plurality of data elements having an operation index value equal to a current index value, the initial value of said current index value being predetermined, and wherein said plurality of data elements associated with said one particular device each specify a next value for said current index value; whereby said one particular device may perform a sequence of operations in accordance with different control parameters.

Claim 3

A control system as described in claim 1 wherein at least one of said operations may be varied in accordance with a variable parameter defined in said data structure, said control means is responsive to an initial signal to respond to said data structure to produce said item, and said initial signal includes a specific parameter value signal, and said control means is responsive to said specific parameter value signal to modify said variable parameter, whereby said item produced in response to said initial signals will vary, within said configuration, in accordance with said specific parameter value signal.

Claim 4

A control system as described in claim 1 wherein, during execution, at least one of said state routines selects, in accordance with said data structure, another of said state routines for later execution.

Claim 5

A control system as described in claim 1 wherein said data elements specify devices which are to be enabled or disabled during execution of an associated state routine, whereby said data elements specify successive sequences of operations and said data structure specifies said configuration.

Claim 6

A control system as described in claim 1 wherein each of said devices corresponds one-to-one to one of a plurality of idle state routines, and said control means executes said idle state routines in sequence to identify which of said devices have been enabled to effect said operations.

Claim 7

A control system as described in claim 5 wherein said control means responds to identification of an enabled device by executing an initial state routine specified by one of said data elements associated with said enabled device.

Claim 8

A control system for controlling a process for producing an item, said process comprising operations selected from a plurality of operations, said control system comprising: a) input means for input of information defining a particular output configuration; b) translating means for translating said defining information into a data structure defining a sequence of said operations for producing an item having said particular output configurations; c) control means responsive to said data structure for controlling said process to perform said sequence of said operations on input materials; whereby said input materials are processed to produce said item having said particular output configuration; d) wherein said control means comprises a data processor, said operations comprise sequences of states, and said control means controls said process by executing sequences of state routines in accordance with said data structure, executing of said state routines in accordance with said data structure effecting performance of said states; e) wherein further, said data structure comprises a plurality of data elements, each of said data elements specifying control parameters for one of said operations; f) wherein further, said process is carried out by an apparatus comprising a plurality of devices, said devices operating under control of said state routines to effect said states; g) wherein further, each of said devices corresponds one-to-one to one of a plurality of idle state routines, and said control means executes said idle state routines in sequence to identify which of said devices have been enabled to effect said operations; and, h) wherein said control means responds to identification of an enabled device by executing an initial state routine specified by one of said data elements associated with another of said devices.

Claim 9

A control system for controlling a process for producing an item, said process comprising operations selected from a plurality of operations, said control system comprising: a) input means for input of information defining a particular output configuration; b) translating means for translating said defining information into a data structure defining a sequence of said operations for producing an item having said particular output configurations; c) control means responsive to said data structure for controlling said process to perform said sequence of said operations on input materials; whereby said input materials are processed to produce said item having said particular output configuration; d) wherein said control means comprises a data processor, said operations comprise sequences of states, and said control means controls said process by executing sequences of state routines in accordance with said data structure, executing of said state routines in accordance with said data structure effecting performance of said states; e) wherein further, said data structure comprises a plurality of data elements, each of said data elements specifying control parameters for one of said operations; f) wherein further, said process is carried out by an apparatus comprising a plurality of devices, said devices operating under control of said state routines to effect said states; g) wherein further, each of said devices corresponds one-to-one to one of a plurality of idle state routines, and said control means executes said idle state routines in sequence to identify which of said devices have been enabled to effect said operations; and, h) wherein said control means responds to identification of an enabled device by executing an initial state routine specified by one of said data elements associated with another of said devices.

Claim 10

A control system as described in claims 2, 3, 6, 4, 5, 1, or 7 wherein said item is a mail piece.

Claim 11

A control system as described in claim 8 wherein said item comprises at least one sheet accumulated with an envelope form, and wherein said accumulated sheet and envelope form are folded and sealed to form said mail piece.

Claim 12

A control apparatus for controlling a process, said process comprising operations selected from a plurality of operations, said apparatus comprising; a) input means for input of a data structure, said data structure defining an output configuration; b) data processing means, responsive to said data structure for controlling said process in accordance with said data structure to perform a sequence of said operations on input materials, said sequence of said operations being selected in accordance with said data structure so that said input materials are processed to produce an item having said output configuration; c) wherein at least one of said operations may be varied in accordance with a variable parameter defined in said data structure, said data processing means is responsive to an initial signal to respond to said data structure to produce said item, and said initial signal includes a specific parameter value signals, and said data processing means is responsive to said specific parameter value signal to modify said variable parameter, whereby said item produced in response to said initial signals will vary, within said configuration, in accordance with said specific parameter value signal; d) wherein further, said operations comprise sequences of states, and said data processing means controls said process by executing sequences of state routines in accordance with said data structure, execution of said state routines in accordance with said data structure effecting said states; e) wherein further, said data structure comprises a plurality of data elements, each of said data elements specifying control parameters for one of said operation; f) wherein further, said process is carried out by an apparatus comprising a plurality of devices, said devices operating under control of said state routines to effect said states; g) wherein further, said data elements are each associated with a particular one of said devices; h) wherein further, a plurality of said data elements is associated with one of said particular devices; and, i) wherein each of said plurality of data elements associated with a one particular devices is identified by an operation index value, and state routines controlling said one particular one of said device execute in accordance with one of said plurality of data elements having an operation index value equal to a current index value, the initial value of said current index value being predetermined, and wherein said plurality of data elements associated with a one particular device each specify a next value for said current index value; whereby said one particular of said device may perform a sequence of operations in accordance with different, control parameters.

Claim 13

A control apparatus for controlling a process, said process comprising operations selected from a plurality of operations, said apparatus comprising; a) input means for input of a data structure, said data structure defining an output configuration; b) data processing means, responsive to said data structure for controlling said process in accordance with said data structure to perform a sequence of said operations on input materials, said sequence of said operations being selected in accordance with said data structure so that said input materials are processed to produce an item having said output configuration; c) wherein at least one of said operations may be varied in accordance with a variable parameter defined in said data structure, said data processing means is responsive to an initial signal to respond to said data structure to produce said item, and said initial signal includes a specific parameter value signals, and said data processing means is responsive to said specific parameter value signal to modify said variable parameter, whereby said item produced in response to said initial signals will vary, within said configuration, in accordance with said specific parameter value signal; d) wherein further, said operations comprise sequences of states, and said data processing means controls said process by executing sequences of state routines in accordance with said data structure, execution of said state routines in accordance with said data structure effecting said states; e) wherein further, said data structure comprises a plurality of data elements, each of said data elements specifying control parameters for one of said operation; f) wherein further, said process is carried out by an apparatus comprising a plurality of devices, said devices operating under control of said state routines to effect said states; g) wherein further, said data elements are each associated with a particular one of said devices; h) wherein further, a plurality of said data elements is associated with one of said particular devices; and, i) wherein each of said plurality of data elements associated with a one particular devices is identified by an operation index value, and state routines controlling said one particular one of said device execute in accordance with one of said plurality of data elements having an operation index value equal to a current index value, the initial value of said current index value being predetermined, and wherein said plurality of data elements associated with a one particular device each specify a next value for said current index value; whereby said one particular of said device may perform a sequence of operations in accordance with different, control parameters.

Claim 14

A control system as described in claim 10 wherein, during execution, at least one of said state routines selects, in accordance with said data structure, another of said state routines for later execution.

Claim 15

A control apparatus as described in claim 10 wherein said data elements specify devices which are to be enabled or disabled during execution of an associated state routine, whereby said data elements specify successive sequences of operations and said data structure specifies said configuration.

Claim 16

A control system as described in claim 10 wherein each of said devices corresponds one-to-one, to one of a plurality of idle state routines, and said control means executes said idle state routines in sequence to identify which of said devices have been enabled to effect said operations.

Claim 17

A control apparatus as described in claim 13 wherein said data processing means responds to identification of an enabled device by executing an initial state routines specified by one of said data elements associated with said enabled device.

Claim 18

A control apparatus for controlling a process, said process comprising operations selected from a plurality of operations, aid apparatus comprising: a) input means for input of a data structure; said data structure defining an output configuration. b) data processing means, responsive to said data structure for controlling said process in accordance with said data structure to perform a sequence of said operations on input materials, said sequence of said operations being selected in accordance with said data structure so that said input materials are processed to produce an item having said output configuration; c) wherein, at least one of said operations may be varied in accordance with a variable parameter defined in said data structure, said data processing means is responsive to an initial signal to respond to said data structure to produce said item, and said initial signal includes a specific parameter value signal, and said data processing means is responsive to said specific parameter value signal to modify said variable parameter, whereby said item produced in response to said initial signal swill vary, within said configuration, in accordance with said specific parameter value signal; d) wherein further, said operations comprise sequences of states, and said data processing means controls said process by executing sequences of state routines in accordance with said data structure, execution of said state routines in accordance with said data structure effecting said states; e) wherein further, said data structure comprises a plurality of data elements, each of said data elements specifying control parameters for one of said operations. f) wherein further, said process is carried out by an apparatus comprising a plurality of devices, said devices operating under control of said state routines to effect said states; g) wherein further, each of said devices corresponds one-to-one to one of a plurality of idle state routines in sequence to identify which of said devices have been enabled to effect said operations; and, h) wherein said data processing means responds to identification of an enabled device by executing an initial state routine specified by one of said data elements associated with another of said devices.

Claim 19

A control apparatus for controlling a process, said process comprising operations selected from a plurality of operations, aid apparatus comprising: a) input means for input of a data structure; said data structure defining an output configuration. b) data processing means, responsive to said data structure for controlling said process in accordance with said data structure to perform a sequence of said operations on input materials, said sequence of said operations being selected in accordance with said data structure so that said input materials are processed to produce an item having said output configuration; c) wherein, at least one of said operations may be varied in accordance with a variable parameter defined in said data structure, said data processing means is responsive to an initial signal to respond to said data structure to produce said item, and said initial signal includes a specific parameter value signal, and said data processing means is responsive to said specific parameter value signal to modify said variable parameter, whereby said item produced in response to said initial signal swill vary, within said configuration, in accordance with said specific parameter value signal; d) wherein further, said operations comprise sequences of states, and said data processing means controls said process by executing sequences of state routines in accordance with said data structure, execution of said state routines in accordance with said data structure effecting said states; e) wherein further, said data structure comprises a plurality of data elements, each of said data elements specifying control parameters for one of said operations. f) wherein further, said process is carried out by an apparatus comprising a plurality of devices, said devices operating under control of said state routines to effect said states; g) wherein further, each of said devices corresponds one-to-one to one of a plurality of idle state routines in sequence to identify which of said devices have been enabled to effect said operations; and, h) wherein said data processing means responds to identification of an enabled device by executing an initial state routine specified by one of said data elements associated with another of said devices.

Claim 20

A control apparatus as described in claims 11, 14, 13, 10, or 15 wherein said item is a mailpiece.

Claim 21

A control system as described in claim 16 wherein said item comprises at least one sheet accumulated with an envelope form, and wherein said accumulated sheet and envelope form are folded and sealed to form said mail piece.

Claim 24

A method as described in claim 18 wherein at least one of said operations may be varied in accordance with a parameter defined in said data structure, said process includes a step of providing an initial signal to initiate said process, and said initial signal include a specific parameter value signal, and said controlling step includes the step of responding to said specific parameter value signal to modify said parameter, whereby said item produced in response to said initial signals will vary, within said configuration, in accordance with said specific parameter value signals.

Claim 25

A method as described in claim 18 wherein, during execution, at least one of sad state routines selects, in accordance with said data structure, another of said state routines for later execution.

Claim 26

A method as described in claim 18 wherein said data elements specify devices which are to be enabled or disabled during execution of an associated state routine, whereby said data elements specify successive sequences of operations and said data structure specifies said configurations.

Claim 27

A control system as described in claim 18 wherein each of said devices corresponds one-to-one to one of a plurality of idle state routines, and said control means executes said idle state routines in sequence to identify which of said devices have been enabled to effect said operations.

Claim 28

A method as described in claim 22 wherein said controlling step includes the step of responding to identification of an enabled device to execute an initial state routine specified by one of said data elements associated with said enabled device.

Claim 32

A method as described in claim 25 wherein said process comprises the steps of accumulating at least one sheet with an envelope form and folding and sealing said accumulated sheet and envelope form to form said mail piece.