Patent US5384620A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US5384620A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Scheduling page parameter variations for discrete job elements
Assignee: Xerox Corp
•
Filing: 1994-02-22
•
Granted: 1995-01-24
•
Expires: 2014-02-22
Abstract
Abstract A system for providing a memory for storing page mode parameters and a controller for providing images in optional page modes for producing a set of images with discrete elements of the set of images processed in a selected page mode independent of the page mode of other elements. This is accomplished by identifying elements of the set of images with page mode parameters and responding to the page mode parameters to alter the operation of the machine dependent upon the identified page mode parameters.
Inventors
- 👤 Fritz F. Ebner
- 👤 Ronald C. Macera
- 👤 Shelly D. Sulenski
- 👤 Janine M. Gates
- 👤 Sue Mikolanis
- 👤 James D. Richar
- 👤 M. Kerrigan Hawes
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-31 12:33
CPC Classifications
G; G03; G03G; G03G15/00; G03G15/50; G06; G06K; G06K15/00; H; H04; H04N; H04N1/00; H04N1/23; H04N1/2307; H04N1/2338; H04N1/2369; G06K2215/00; G06K2215/0002; G06K2215/0005; G06K2215/0011
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 26
Claim 1
Independent Claim
214 words
In a machine having a controller for providing images having optional page mode parameters, the method of providing a set of images with a discrete element of the set of images processed using selected page mode parameters independent of the page mode parameters of other elements of the set of images, including the steps of: (a) identifying a plurality of page mode parameters of a current element of the set of images; (b) responding to the plurality of page mode parameters of the current element to provide the current element of the set of images in a current page mode; (c) identifying a plurality of page mode parameters of a next element of the set of image; (d) updating the plurality of page mode parameters of the next element that are different from the plurality of page mode parameters of the current element to provide the next element of the set of images in a next page mode, the controller altering an operation of the machine after completing the processing of the current element by modifying only the page mode parameters that are different and disregarding the next page mode parameters that match the current page mode parameters; and (e) repeating steps (c) and (d) for each succeeding element of the set of images.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
214 words
In a machine having a controller for providing images having optional page mode parameters, the method of providing a set of images with a discrete element of the set of images processed using selected page mode parameters independent of the page mode parameters of other elements of the set of images, including the steps of: (a) identifying a plurality of page mode parameters of a current element of the set of images; (b) responding to the plurality of page mode parameters of the current element to provide the current element of the set of images in a current page mode; (c) identifying a plurality of page mode parameters of a next element of the set of image; (d) updating the plurality of page mode parameters of the next element that are different from the plurality of page mode parameters of the current element to provide the next element of the set of images in a next page mode, the controller altering an operation of the machine after completing the processing of the current element by modifying only the page mode parameters that are different and disregarding the next page mode parameters that match the current page mode parameters; and (e) repeating steps (c) and (d) for each succeeding element of the set of images.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
12 words
The method of claim 1 wherein the page modes include color modes.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
16 words
The method of claim 2, wherein the color modes are full-color, monochrome-black, monochrome-color and highlight color.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
12 words
The method of claim 1, wherein the page modes include paper modes.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
21 words
The method of claim 4, wherein the paper modes include at least one of size modes, orientation modes and tray modes.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
16 words
The method of claim 1, wherein the page modes include simplex and duplex modes of operation.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
47 words
The method of claim 6, wherein the steps of responding to the page mode parameters include the step of delaying the scheduling of side 1 of the subsequent duplex page until side 2 of the current page has been imaged by a transfer subsystem of the machine.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
70 words
The method of claim 1 wherein the steps of responding to the page mode parameters of the current element to provide the current element of the set of images in said current page mode and responding to the page mode parameters of the next element to provide the next element of the set of images in said next page mode include the steps of altering timing cycles in the machine.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
20 words
The method of claim 8, wherein the step of altering the timing cycles includes the step of scheduling pitch skips.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
23 words
The method of claim 1 wherein the controller includes a memory and including the step of transmitting page mode parameters to said memory.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
17 words
The method of claim 10, wherein the page mode parameters are transmitted separately from the image data.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
18 words
The method of claim 10, wherein the page mode parameters are transmitted as part of the image data.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
34 words
The method of claim 10, including a remote station electrically connected to the controller through a network and including the step of transmitting the page mode parameters to said memory from the remote station.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
159 words
In an electrostatographic copying apparatus having a plurality of page modes of operation and in which imaging material is applied to an image support surface and transferred from the image support surface to a moving copy member by electrical transfer means, the imaging material representing one of the plurality of page modes, the method of providing each copy member in a selected page mode independent of the page mode of other copy members by identifying current page mode parameters associated with a current copy member for a current page mode and next page mode parameters associated with a next copy member for a next page mode and responding to the current page mode parameters to provide the current page mode and after processing the imaging material of the current page mode, updating only the current page mode parameters to the next page mode parameters which are different than the current page mode parameters to provide the next page mode.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
159 words
In an electrostatographic copying apparatus having a plurality of page modes of operation and in which imaging material is applied to an image support surface and transferred from the image support surface to a moving copy member by electrical transfer means, the imaging material representing one of the plurality of page modes, the method of providing each copy member in a selected page mode independent of the page mode of other copy members by identifying current page mode parameters associated with a current copy member for a current page mode and next page mode parameters associated with a next copy member for a next page mode and responding to the current page mode parameters to provide the current page mode and after processing the imaging material of the current page mode, updating only the current page mode parameters to the next page mode parameters which are different than the current page mode parameters to provide the next page mode.
Claim 17
Independent Claim
260 words
A method for maximizing image reproduction throughput of an image reproduction apparatus having a plurality of image reproduction subsystems and a controller and capable of reproducing images in optional page modes, the optional page modes defined by page mode parameters, the method comprising the steps of: inputting an image reproduction print job into the image reproduction apparatus, the print job comprising a plurality of images to be reproduced, a set of page mode parameters being associated with each image; reproducing a current image of the plurality of image, based on the set of page mode parameter associated with the current image; determining, for a next image of the plurality of images, whether any of the set of page mode parameters associated with the next image differ from the page mode parameters of associated with the current image; reconfiguring, for each differing page mode parameter of the set of page mode parameters associated with the next image, a corresponding subsystem of the plurality of subsystems; and reproducing the next image as the current image; wherein the reconfiguring step comprises, for each differing page mode parameter, the steps of: waiting for the corresponding subsystem to complete processing the current image; providing the differing page mode parameters to the corresponding subsystem; reconfiguring the corresponding subsystem based on the provided page mode parameter; delaying reproduction of the next image until the subsystem has finished reconfiguring; determining if the provided page mode parameter will cause any downstream conflicts; and further delaying reproduction of the next image for a time sufficient to avoid any such conflicts.
Claim 18
Independent Claim
260 words
A method for maximizing image reproduction throughput of an image reproduction apparatus having a plurality of image reproduction subsystems and a controller and capable of reproducing images in optional page modes, the optional page modes defined by page mode parameters, the method comprising the steps of: inputting an image reproduction print job into the image reproduction apparatus, the print job comprising a plurality of images to be reproduced, a set of page mode parameters being associated with each image; reproducing a current image of the plurality of image, based on the set of page mode parameter associated with the current image; determining, for a next image of the plurality of images, whether any of the set of page mode parameters associated with the next image differ from the page mode parameters of associated with the current image; reconfiguring, for each differing page mode parameter of the set of page mode parameters associated with the next image, a corresponding subsystem of the plurality of subsystems; and reproducing the next image as the current image; wherein the reconfiguring step comprises, for each differing page mode parameter, the steps of: waiting for the corresponding subsystem to complete processing the current image; providing the differing page mode parameters to the corresponding subsystem; reconfiguring the corresponding subsystem based on the provided page mode parameter; delaying reproduction of the next image until the subsystem has finished reconfiguring; determining if the provided page mode parameter will cause any downstream conflicts; and further delaying reproduction of the next image for a time sufficient to avoid any such conflicts.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
22 words
The method of claim 15, wherein the page mode parameters are electronic tags associated with predetermined ones of the plurality of images.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
13 words
The method of claim 15, wherein the page modes include independent color modes.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
20 words
The method of claim 17, wherein the independent color modes include full-color, monochrome-black, monochrome-color and highlight color modes of operation.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
12 words
The method of claim 15, wherein the page modes include paper modes.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
21 words
The method of claim 19, wherein the paper modes include at least one of size modes, orientation modes and tray modes.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
15 words
The method of claim 15, wherein the page modes include simplex mode and duplex mode.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
23 words
The method of claim 15, wherein the step of reconfiguring the corresponding subsystem comprises the step of scheduling pitch skips in the machine.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
15 words
The method of claim 15, wherein each subsystem responds independently to the page mode parameters.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US4711560A
Cited
US3013890A
Cited
US4734739A
Cited
US4618246A
Cited
US4760608A
Cited
US4627715A
Cited
US4693590A
Cited
US4930016A
Cited
US4963920A
Cited
US4970554A
Cited
US4970661A
Cited
EP0461671A2
Cited
US5146344A
Cited
US5170340A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1998-01-23 | 1998-07-25 | 1999-01-24 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2002-01-23 | 2002-07-25 | 2003-01-24 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2006-01-23 | 2006-07-25 | 2007-01-24 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |