CA1082290A - Automatic copier mode controls - Google Patents

Abstract

AUTOMATIC COPIER MODE CONTROLS
ABSTRACT
A multi-mode document reproduction machine (copier) includes automatic reselections to a dominant copy mode. A
dominant mode is that machine code used in the most number of copy jobs, irrespective of the number of copies made in any of the modes. A machine having complex operational modes, such as multi-copy run jobs, automatic reselections require predetermined condition precedents indicating given copy job status. In certain error recovery functions, machine reselections supersede error received status states.

Description

- '- B'F,'CKGROU`IO ~1 TEIr IN~
13 The present invention relates to operational controls for document reproduction machines, particularly to those document reproduction machines having a dominant 16~ copy production mode with a plurality of other selectable 17 copy production modes.
18 Transfer electrographic and other forms of document 19 reproduction machines have been used for years as convenience copiers, as well as in higher throughput copy production 21 applications, such as found in printin~ or publication 22 centers. With the trend to electronic controls of such 23 machines, greater flexibility in automatically controlling 24 these machines has been found economically feasible. The interaction of electronic circuits including programmed 26 processors. With the document reproduction processor, such 27 as a transfer electro~raphic processor, can provide en 28 hanced operator conveniences.

1 ~ document reproduction machine par-ticularly of

2 the convenience copier type finds diverse usage. That is,

3 a convenience copier having a collator with duplex copying

4 capability (images are impressed on both sides of the copy paper) as well as simplex copying (image on one side of the 6 copy paper). Non-collating functions tend to be used in 7 patterns in accordance with the environmental operational requirements. Many convenience copiers are in an office 9 type environment. In offices, the most common type of copy job is to copy a single sheet of paper on one side. This is 11 not to say that the total number of copies produced on such 12 a document reproduction machine is greater in a single 13 original single copy mode, but that the number of times the 14 copier is used, i.e., the number of jobs in such mode,. is the greatest number. For example, if a 50 page document 16 were to be reproduced and automatically collated into 20 17 copies, a relatively large number of copies are made.
18 However, the number of copy jobs of this type in an office 19 may be limited. When such a special type of job is being performed on the convenience copier, the user attitude is 21 to correctly perform the copy job. Therefore, the attention 22 of the user is focused on the operator selections available .:
23 to the user for ensuring a successful copy job. On the .
24 other hand, in the dominant copy mode, single copy single original, the average user will be impatient with the 26 machine and tend to quickly insert the original into the 27 convenience copier and expect a single copy without further 28 adieu. In other words, the user in the dominant mode is 1 focusing attention on an office procedure other than copy 2 production. With such an interrelationship be-tween a user 3 and a convenience copier, the copy run is error prone. That 4 is, since the operator is not focusing appropria-te attention to the convenience copier, more than a single copy is likely 6 to be made if the previous user had used the machine in a 7 non-dominant mode. Such proneness to error is not suitably 8 acco~nodated by user training, in that many convenience 9 copiers are used by casual users who have no real interest in the copier as a machine. Errors in such simple dominant 11 reproduction modes create unnecessary expense to the user, 12 as well as irritation to the casual user -- and possibly 13 embarrassment.
14 In relatively primitive convenience copier machines, i.e., machines having but one or two modes of copy pro-16 duction, the problems stated above still exist, but with 17 lesser intensity. In those convenience copiers having a 18 plurality of modes involving complex copy jobs, the above 19 stated problem can become more acute.
Some convenience copiers, in the past, included ~3 a mode selection portion in an operators console termed 22 "special features". Such mode selection would include 23 selection of an alternate source of paper, two-sided copying, 24 and a selection for a light original document. After a time-out of approximately 50 seconds, after completing a single 26 copy run, irrespective of the copier state, such selections 27 would be automatically reset to normal original, normal 28 paper tray and single sided copying. The number of copies 2'2!911) 1 selected to be produced would remain to be adjusted by the 2 next user.
3 ~nother copier having a so-called reduction 4 feature, included a time-out circuit responsive to the completion of a copy run to return the number of copies 6 selected to be made to unity, and adjusting the mode of 7 operation of the machine from a reduction to a non-reduction 8 mode. Both of the above referenced machines operated on the 9 basis of a copy run, irrespec-tive of copy jobs. The time-out was subject to interruption upon initiation of a new 11 copy run.
12 For avoiding errors of copy production caused by 13 error-prone casual users, further controls are necessary 14 for ensuring that the convenience copier performs the functions desired by such a casual user without any 16 emphasis by the user on mode selection of the convenience 17 copier.

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.j 18 SUMMARY OF TEIE INVENTION

~` 19 It is an object o~ the invention to provide a document reproduction machine having automatic controls 21 which reselect the machine features to a dominant state ,, ~<~,;~,.
22 for reducing casual user copy production errors.
23 In accordance with the invention, a document 24 reproduction machine operab e in a succession of copy ~ 25 runs, including a multi-run copy job has a control element j 26 for initiating a copy run and imposing one or more of a i 27 plurality of copy modes on the machine. One of the modes ` 28 is a dominant copy mode.
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1 Control means in the document reproduction machine ;ndicate machine states during operation of the machine. Such machine states include states during a copy job and when no copy run is being executed. Status means within the control means indicate a predetermined intermediate one of the machine states to initiate a time-out timer which times a predetermined time-out period. Reselection means are responsive to the time-out timer to reselect the machine modes to said dominant mode. Further, reselect control means are responsive to the run means and the absence of the indicated intermediate state for actuating the time-out timer to time the predetermined period for actuating the reset means.
In one aspect of the invention, the status means indicates an intermediate error recovery state. A paper jam is an error which may require manual intervention for recovery. To recover from such a jam, the covers or doors to the machine have to be opened by the operator. Upon completion of the jam recovery and before the door is closed, the machine is in an intermediate error recovery state. During such state, the machine cannot be started until the unusual condition of an open door has been rectified. Upon closing the door, the intermediate state indication is removed, allowing the timer to be initiated.
In another aspect of the invention, one of the modes is a duplex mode for imposing images on both sides of copy paper. Each copy is subjected to two successive copy runs, one run for each image. In the event of an odd number .~ ' .
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1 of copy originals, tlle last cop~ will have bu-t one imaye.
2 In one aspect of the invention, the control means which may 3 include manual actuation by an operator, signifies to the 4 document reproduction machine that the copy job has been

- 5 completed. Accordingly, in certain aspects of the invention,

6 a second intermediate state occurs on completion of the copy

- 7 run imposing the first image on a copy sheet. The inter-

8 mediate state is removed by removing the machine from the g duplex mode, or by otherwise signifying to the ma~hine that the copy job has been completed. Such other means may 11 include automatic means, particularly where the original 12 documents are automatically handled by an original document 13 handler- Alternatively, the intermediate states may be 14 timed by a timer.

:, , Other modifications of the invention include 16 adaptively defining the dominant operational mode in accor-17 dance with the application of a par-ticular machine.

19 FIGURE 1 is a block diagram of a document re-production machine employing the present invention.
21 FIGUR~ 2 iS a diagrammatic showing of the FIGURE 1 i <L~o , 22 illustrated machine with a showing of some control circuits 23 with respect to duplex copy production.

24 FIGURE 3 is a second diagrammatic partial showing of the FIGURE 1 illustrated machine emphasizing copy count ` 26 circuits and operators console.

, 27 FIGURE 4 is a timing diagram.

., 28 FIGURE 5 is a schematic showing of a preferred , . .
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1 embodiment of the invention as installed in -the FIGURE 1 2 illustrated invention.

4 Referring now more particularly to the drawing ; 5 like numerals indicate like parts and structural features in 6 the various diagrams. The present invention adds dominant 7 mode reselect controls 17 to document reproduction machine 10. A plurality of control circuits, duplex controls 50,

9 51, collator controls 15, processor controls 53, and SADF
controls 16 operate machine 10 as will become apparent in . 11 sufficient detail for an understanding of the in~ention.
; 12 Details of circuits and porti.ons of machine 10 not necessary : 13 for practicing the invention are omitted for brevity.
14 Document reproduction machine 10 has a semiautomatic ` 15 document feed (SADF) 11 for transporting originals past an :! 16 original input optic portion 12. The SADF 11 has a platen 17 (not shown) scanned by optics (not shown) within portion 12 `, 18 for transferring images of the original documents to document , 19 reproduction portion 13 of the document reproduction machine. ..
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The images transmitted to portion 13 are impressed upon copy 21 paper and supplied as copies to output copy handler 14, 22 which may be a bin, collator, and the like. The illustrated 23 machine 10 is capable of operating in one or more of a 24 plurality of copy production modes, as will be later described.
The most copy jobs in the illustrated machine are the pro-26 duction of one copy from one original document -- the 27 dominant mode of the illustrated machine.
28 When operating in a duplex mode an image is , .. .... , . _ . ,, : - , ~ .
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1 impressed on bo-th sides of the copy paper, portion 13 2 operates in a succession of paired single-image copy runs.
3 A first run in each pair pu-ts an image on a first side of 4 the copy paper, a second run puts an image on the second side. Each single-image run consists of a plurality of copy 6 production cycles, each cycle represented by the passage of an image area on photoconductor -transfer member 20 past ` R image-receiving area 22 which receives the image to be 9 reproduced from portion 12, as indicated by dashed line arrow 23. During each single-image run, the operator controls 11 of the document reproduction machine, except for the stop 12 button, are disengaged. At the end of a single-image run, 13 i.e., the transfer of one image to a plurality of copies, 14 operator selections are enabled. Also, insertion of an original document into SADF 11 causes it to be automatically 16 transferred to the platen (not shown) for being scanned by ` 17 original input optics 12.

18 Before proceeding further with the description of the invention, the operation of document reproduction portion 13 is described as a constructed embodiment of a so-21 called xerographic document reproduction machine. The .~.,.
22 photoconductor member 20 rotates in the direction of the 23 arrow past a plurality of xerographic processing stations.

24 The first station in xerographic reproduction process is charging station 21 which imposes either a positive or 26 negative electrostatic charge on the surface of photoconductor 27 member 20. It is preferred that this charge be a uniform 28 electrostatic charge over a uniform photoconductor surface.
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1 Such charging is done in the absence of light such that 2 projec-ted i.mages, indicated by dash line arrow 23, alter the 3 electrostatic charge on the photoconductor member in preparation A for image developing and transferring. Exposure in area 22 exposes the photoconduc-tor surface which was charged to a 6 bright light by the image projected by original input optics 7 12. Light reflected from the original document discharges 8 the areas on the photoconductor surface in accordance with 9 lightness. With minimal light reflected from the dark or printed areas of the original document, there is no corres-11 ponding discharge. As a result, an electrostatic charge remains in those areas of the photoconductive surface 13 corresponding to the dark or printed areas of the original : .
14 document in S~DF 11. This charge pattern is termed a "latent"
image on the photoconductive surface. Interimage erase lamp 16 30E discharges photoconductor member 20 outside defined . -.
17 image areas.
18 The next xerographic station is the developer 24 19 which receives toner (ink) laden beads from toner supply 25 for being deposited on the photoconductive surface having 21 eharged areas. The developer station receives the toner 22 with an electrostatic charge of polarity opposite to that of 23 the charged areas of the photoconductive surface. Accor-24 dingly, the toner particles adhere electrostatieally to the eharged areas, but do not adhere to the discharged areas.
26 Hence, the photoeonductive surface, after leaving station 27 24, has a toned image corresponding to the dark and light 28 areas of the original documents of SADF 11. ..
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1 Next, the latent image is transferred to copy 2 paper in transfer station 26. The paper is brought to the 3 station 26 from an input paper path portion 27 via synchro-4 nizing input gate 28, thence through transfer station 26 and, finally, along paper path 29. The copy paper is brought fi into contact with the toned image on the photoconductive 7 surface resulting in a transfer of the -toner to the copy 8 paper. ~fter such transfer, the sheet of copy paper is 9 stripped from the photoconductive surface for transport along path 29. Next, the paper has the image fused thereon 11 in fusing station 31 creating a permanent image on the copy 12 paper. Such copy paper receives electrostatic charges which 13 have an adverse affect on copy handling. Accordingly, the 14 copy paper after fusing is electrically discharged at station 32 before transfer to output portions, as later described.
16 Returning now to the photoconductor member 20, 17 after the image area leaves transfer station 26, there is a 18 certain amount of residual toner on the photoconductive 19 surface. Accordingly, cleaner station 30 has a rotating cleaning brush to remove the residual toner for cleaning 21 the imaye area in preparation for receiving the next image 22 projected by original input optics 12. The cycle then 23 repeats by charging the just-cleaned image area by charging 2~ station 21.
The production of simplex copies or the first side 26 of duplexing cop]es by portion 13 includes transferring a 27 blank sheet of paper from blank paper supply 35, thence to 28 transfer station 26, fuser 31, and, when in the simplex sO976006 10 v . . ~

LO~Z291a3 1 mode, directly to the output copy handler 14. When handler 14 consists of a copy receiving tray (not shown), aligner 37 may be dispensed with. Blank paper supply 35 has an empty sensing switch 36 which inhibits operation of portion 13 in a known manner whenever supply 35 is out of paper.
When in the duplex mode, duplex diversion gate 42 is actuated by the duplex controlling circuits 50 to the upward position for deflecting single-image copies to travel over path 43 to the interim storage unit 40. Here, the partially produced duplex copies (image on one side only) reside waiting for the next subsequent single-image run of the pair in which the copies receive the second image. In the next-successive single-image run, initiated by inserting a document into SADF 11, the copies are removed one at a time from the interim storage unit 40, transported over path 44, thence to path 27 for receiving a second image, as previously described. The two-imaged duplex copies are then transferred into output copy handler 14. For purposes of the present invention, a switch 41 of interim storage unit 40 detects whether or not there are any copies or paper in interim storage unit 40.
If so, an activating signal is supplied over line 45 to duplex control circuits 50 and to duplex job terminating circuits 51. Circuits 51, as will be described, cause the automatic transfer of the single image duplex copies from interim storage unit 40 through paths 27 and 29, thence to the output copy handler 14 without receiving an image in transfer station 26.
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1 The document reproduction machine has a control 2 panel 52 having a plurali-ty of lights and switches (most not 3 shown), as well as a set of other control circuits 53 which 4 operate the entire machine synchronously with respect to the movement of the image areas of photoconduc-tor member 20.
6 silling meter M of circuits 53 counts images processed for 7 billing purposes. For example, paper release gate 28 is 8 actuated synchronously with the image areas moving past g developer station 24. Such controls are well known in the art and are not described here for purposes of brevity.
11 Operation of duplex control circui-ts 50 is ini-12 tiated by duplex mode selecting switch 55 supplying ground 13 reference potential to noise-rejecting type of pulse-forming 14 circuit 56. Circuit 56 may be inhibited during a single-image run by a signal received over line 57 from other 16 control circuits 53. Pulse former circuit 56 supplies its 17 output pulse indicating the switch 55 has been actuated to 18 trigger select duplex trigger 60 to its opposite state.
19 Accordingly, each closure of switch 55 switches the document reproduction machine ~etween simplex and duplex modes. That 21 is, trigger 60 being set to a first state indicates the 22 duplex reproduction mode; and being reset to a second state 23 indicates a simplex reproduction mode. The duplex repro-~4 duction mode is indicated by an active signal traveling ~ver line 61, to AND circuits 62 and 63. AND circuit 62 responds 26 to the duplex mode signal on line 61, to a side latch =1 27 signal from latch 54, and to a blank sheet picked signal from 28 switch 70 on line 65 to actuate duplex gate latch 66 to the 29 set state.

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1 When in khe duplex mode, duplex gate latch 66 is 2 in the active condi-tion. The la-tch 66 supplies its active 3 signal through amplifier-driver 72 for ac-tuating solenoid 73 4 which pulls gate 42 to the upward position. In the upward position, gate 42 deflects the copies received from path 29 6 to path 43 as previously described. Gate 42 is alternately 7 actuated for first direc-ting copies to interim storage unit 8 40 (first single-image run) and then to output aligner 37 g (second single-image run) for transmittal to output c~pier handler 14. The alternating action is achieved through side 11 latch 64 which supplies the side-l indicating signal over 12 line 73A and side-2 indicating signal over line 74 to AND
13 circuits 62 and 71, respectively. Side latch 64 is actuated 1~ between the set and rese-t states (side-2 and side-l, res-; 15 pectively) by AND circuits 63, 75. Side-l is indicated by 16 AND circuit 75 responding to copy pa-th circuits 76 indicating 17 that the copy path is clear. That is, paths 27, 29, and the 18 indicated dash line to output copy handler 14 have no copies.
.j , , ' 19 The relationship of copy path circuits 76 to the actual 20 copy path is well known and not shown Eor purposes of brevity. -21 When the path is clear, circuits 76 supply an active signal 22 over line 77 to both AND circuits 63 and 75. Hence, successive 23 single-image runs in the illustrated copier are nonover-24 lapping, no limitation thereto intended.
Intermediate the single-image runs, side latch 64 26 can be switched from 1 to 2 and reversed. In this regard, 27 switch 41 sensing that copies are in interim storage unit 40 i 28 supplies its activating signal over line 45. If there are ., .

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1 no copies in unit 40, NOT circuit 80 supplies an ac-tivating 2 signal through AND circuit 75 resetting side latch to copy 3 side-l. That is, in the duplex mode, the interim storage 4 unit has been emptied and the next copy to be made will be a first image on side-l. Similarly, the line 45 signal activates 6 AND circuit 63 to set latch 64 to side-2 state only when 7 select duplex trigger 60 is in the duplex mode. Accordingly, 8 if paper is being temporarily stored in unit 40 and the 9 document reproduction machine is operating in the simplex mode, side latch 64 remains reset to the side-l indicating 11 state.
12 At the end of a duplex ~ob, duplex switch 55 is 13 closed for taking the document reproduction machine 10 out 14 of the duplex mode. ~his action actuates pulse former 56 to supply a pulse triggering duplex trigger 60 to the simplex 16 mode indicating state. The pulse from former 56 also 17 travels to the circuits 51 for emptying the interim storage 18 unit 40 in the event an odd number of images were to be 19 reproduced in the duplex modeO The line 82 pulse samples AND circuit 83; and if there are copies in interim storage 21 unit 40 as indicated by switch 41 being closed, AND circuit 22 83 sets empty interim latch 84 to the active condition. This 23 active condition actuates circuits for emptying interim 24 storage unit 40. The active signal from latch 8~ goes over line 85, then through OR circuit 86 for passing through AND
26 circuit 87, thence setting start latch 88. Start latch 88 27 being set causes the document reproduction machine 10 to 28 initiate a single-image run. The AND circuit 87 is further ,.. .
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:~ 1 responsive to certain error condi-tions being absent for 2 setting start latch 88. Additionally, a timing pulse (not 3 shown) from other control circuits 53 may time the setting 4 of start latch 88 in a synchronous manner. The error cir-S cuits, which are a condition precedent to setting st~rt 6 latch 88, include paper jam circuits 90 no-t indicating a jam 7 and other error detectors (not shown). OR circuit 91 combines 8 all of the error-indicating signals for resetting start ~ 9 latch 88 for stopping document reproduction machine 10. NOT
circuit 92 takes the output of OR circuit 91 and activates 11 AND circuit 87 whenever all error conditions are absent.
12 Start circuit 88 initiates operation of the 13 machine via AND ci~cuit 93. AND circuit 93 is jointly 14 responsive to the start latch 88~ plus other conditions (not 15 shown), and a timing pulse received over line 94 from other - :
16 control circuits 53 for actuating copy path circuits 76.
17 Copy path circuits 76, in turn, actuate the mechanism of l8 document reproduction portion 13 in a known manner for l9 transferring copies from interim storage unit 40 through the .; 20 paper paths 27, 29. It will be remembered that at this time <~ 21 side latch 64 is set to the side-2 indicating condition, 22 with the active signal on line 74 moving gate 42 to the .. 23 downward position, as well as actuating circuits (not shown) ( 24 for removing the copies from interim storage unit 40 through .
: 25 path 44, thence to path 27. Such latter operations are in 26 known machines and are not described for that reason.

27 Further, empty interim latch 84 active signal on 28 line 85 travels to OR circuit 95 for lighting standby lamp , . . .
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1 96 in control panel 52. OR circuit 95 receives inputs over 2 line 97 from other control circuits 53 for also lighting 3 standby lamp 96 during other operatiny conditions in which 4 copies are not to be made in machine 10. Lamp 96 being lit indica-tes to the operator that the document reproduction 6 machine 10 is not available for selec-tion or for copy pro-7 duction. In this manner, the emptying of storage unit 40 8 interrupts the normal day-to-day copy production until all 9 the copies in unit 40 have been transferred as above described.
The transfer is complete when switch 41 senses no more 11 copies in interim storage unit 40. A-t this time, the signal 12 on line 45 resets side latch 64 to the active condition l3 after copy path circuits 76 indicate the copy path is clear.
14 Also, copy path circuits 76 supply the copy path clear signal to AND circuit 98 of control circuits 51. AND circuit 16 98 responds to this signal, plus a stop latch 100 being set 17 to the active condition (as will be later described) to 18 supply a resetting pulse through OR circuit 101 for resetting 19 empty interim ].atch 84. This action removes the activating signal from AND circuit 87, as well as extinguishing the 21 standby lamp 96. The start latch 88 is then reset to the 22 inactive condition by AND circuit 102 jointly responding to 23 empty interim latch 84 being set, the line 45 signal being 24 active, and the line 77 signal being active. Since latch 84 is reset long before start latch 88, delay circuit 102A
26 maintains an active signal for AND 102. Delay 102A may be a 27 latch set with latch 84 and reset when start latch 88 is 28 reset. The start latch 88 being reset removes activating ' . ' ,:

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1 signals flowing from s-tart latch 88 to okher control circuits 2 53 as indicated by arrow 103. The document reproduction 3 machine now may be used in normal day-to-day operations. Of 4 course, the operator must remove the copies from the output - 5 copy handler in the event of the document reproduction 6 machine having manual control of that portion.
7 Stop latch 100 is set to the active condition by ~ stop button 104 actuating pulse former 105. Other inputs to g the stop latch 100 (not shown) include activating signals from the paper jam circuits and the like. Stop latch 100 is 11 reset by AND circuit 106 responding to timing signals from 1 other control circuits 53, and to the line 77 signal from 13 copy path circuits 76 indicating the copy path is clear 14 (copy path includes the document reproduction portion and the output portion -- collator). The latch 100 signal also 16 flows over line 110 to other control circuits 53 for utili-17 zation in controlling various portions of the document 18 reproduction machine not pertinent to -the present invention.
1~ In the event document reproduction machine 10 is in a noncollate mode, i.e., a collator (not shown) in output 21 copy handler 14 is not being used, and a single bin receives 22 all the copies, it can occur that the number of copies 23 produced exceeds the handling capacity of the bin (not 24 shown) in the output cop~ handler. ~ccordingly, to avoid paper jam problems, when the bin becomes full the transfer 26 from interim storage unit 40 to the output copy handler must 27 be interrupted. ~n output bin (not shown) has a scale for 23 weighing the copies in the output bin. This scale can .` , .

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1 consist of the copy bin being pivoted at on end and being 2 spring urged upwardly a-t the opposite end. At the spring-urged end, a switcIl 112 is urged from a normally closed (NC) 4 position to an open position. This contact opening signifies that the output bin is full. Switch 112 has one con~act 6 connected to a -V supply and a second contact at 113 connected 7 through a resistor 114 to a -~V supply. When the contacts 8 are closed, the contact 113 is at a relatively negative g potential, thereby providing no actuating signal through OR
circuit 91. ~Iowever, upon the opening of the NC contacts 11 112, a relatively positive signal flows through OR circuit 12 91, thence OR circuit 115 resetting start latch 88. As 13 previously described, resetting start latch 88 interrupts 14 the doeument reproduction maehine sueh that no more blank paper is provided from the interim storage unit 40 to the 16 paper paths 27 and 29. Upon removal of the copies ~rom the 17 bin, switch 112 contacts again close, removing the resetting 18 signal from start latch 88. NOT circuit 92 and the output 19 signal from OR circuit 86 again actuate AND cireuit 87 setting start latch 88. The transfer from interim storage 21 unit 40 through the paper path 27, 29, through the aligner . ` `'1:.~
22 37, and through the output copy handler 14 automatically 23 restarts. This action, of course, can be repeated several ~4 times depending on the relative capacities of the interim .. 25 storage unit 40 and the output copy handler 14. Since ..

26 switch 41 indicates there are still copies in interim storage unit 40, line 45 signal continues to indicate copies in the . 28 storage unit, thereby inhibiting resetting the previously ' : . .
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1 described circults 51, keeping standby lamp 96 illuminated.
2 In case of a paper jam, paper jam circuits 90 supply an 3 activating signal for illuminating clear paper pa-th lamp 4 120. In such a situation, the paper jam circuits 90 also reset start latch 88 causing interrup-tion of the transfer of 6 copies from interim storage unit 40 to output copy handler 14. Clearing the jam and re-establishing the machine in 8 normal operating condition automatically restarts the transfer g of copies from unit 40 to handler 14. As later described, : 10 recovery from a paper jam results in an intermediate machine 11 state used in connection with the present invention.
12 The transfer of the last copy set through paths 13 27~ 29 exposes all of the single image duplex copies to 14 transfer station 26. Accordingly, action should be taken to prevent inadver-tent transfer of images from photoconductor 16 member 20 to the copies being transferred. To this end, the 17 copy reproducing process is inhibited while transferring 18 the last copy set to handler 14 from unit 40. This inhibition 19 is achieved in circuits 51. AND circuit 122 responds to the empty interim latch 84 being rese-t (the last copy set is not 21 being transferred), and a copy path circuit 76 signal on 22 line 123 indicating that the copy path is expecting to 23 receive copies to be made or copies are in the path to 24 supply an activating signal over line 124 to other control 25 circuits 53. This line 124 activating signal actuates other :~.
26 control circuits 53 to drive a machine billing meter M and 27 synchronously turn off the interimage erase lamp 30E with 28 respect to photoconductor member 20 rotation. During the -~
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1 empty lnterim s-torage no-image run, these functions are ; 2 inhibited such that interimage erase lamp 30E is on, con-3 tinuously er~sing the pho oconductor member 20 ensuring that 4 the surface of the member 20 is completely discharged.
Hence, no toner laden beads adhere to the photoconductor 6 surface keepin~ the back sides of the last copy set clean.
7 Additionally, charging station 21 and developer station 24 8 may be deactivated during the empty interim storage no-image g cycle. Such paper transport can be treated as an active copy run or as an intermediate state as hereinafter des-11 cribed.
12 Mamlally ac-tuated Keyboard 130 of document repro-13 duction machine 10 selects -the number of copies to be produced l4 in a copy job. Keyboard 130 is mounted in a console 131.
In addition to keyboardl30, the console includes operator 16 station control panel 52 display and selection switches, as 17 well as a time out timer 132 which, in accordance with the 18 invention, reselects cer-tain operator selections if the 19 document reproduction machine 10 has not been used for a ~o predetermined time. Such predetermined time will vary upon ;
; 21 selection parameters of the document reproduction machine.
~2 In one machine 10, timer 132 had a time-out of 30 seconds;
23 in another, 90 seconds. Time-out timer 132 is reset and ;
24 inhibited by a signal traveling over line 134 from control panel 52. Time-out timer 132 actuation is later described.
26 When time-out timer 132 has timed out, it supplies an actuating 27 signal over line 135 for reselecting the operator selections ~ `
2~ to the dominant mode.

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`' , ' , .. ~.,: , .: . : , ~ ~01~2~6i , 1 Keyboard 130 can be of any desig~. However, it is 2 preferred that the keying arrangement be as shown in FIGURE
3 3. The numeral 1 is selected by the left-hand button 135, ; 4 number 2 by button 136, etc., through button 137 which selects ~ero. ~n operator selects the number of copies to 6 be produced by a succession oE key depressions. For example, 7 if 156 copies are to be produced, the operator first depresses ~ key 135 (selects 1), then the 5-indicating key 138 and then g the 6-indicating key 139. The number 156 is then automatically inserted into control register 141 and suitably displayed in 11 panel 52 by signals supplied over cable 142 from control 12 register 141. Such signals from control register 141 are 13 also applied to the controls of machine 10. ~dditionally, 14 panel 52 supplies selection control signals over cable 143 to the control circuits described herein.
16 Keyboard 130 key closure signals travel over 17 cable 144 (ten circuits, one for each key) actuating digit 18 value selector circuit 145 to detect the value of the key 19 depressed, as well as integrating the closures and openings for eliminating noise and bounce caused noise signals.
21 Selector 145 supplies a digit received signal over line 146 ,C,~5~
22 to actuate copy select controller 150 to insert a new data 23 value into control register 141. The data values are supplied -~
24 in binary coded decimal, or other coded form, over cable 151 ~.1 .
: 25 to copy select controller 150 and to control register 141.
26 Controller 150 examines the data signals on cable ~51 for 27 determining whether or not a significant value signal is 28 being received. If no significant value signal is being , .''~- . , ~8Z;~

1 received, then the data value signals are not inserted into 2 control register 141.
3 A timing signal generator 152 synchronizes the 4 operation of a portion of the illustrated electronic circuits.
- 5 Generator 152 provides a high-frequency signal A (see FIGURE
6 4), a submul-tiple Erequency B, and a set of four distributor 7 pulses 1-4 for sequencing copy selec-t controller 150.
; 8 Control register 141 signal content signifies the 9 number of copies to be made in a copy set, i.e., how many times the original image is to be reproduced in a set of 11 copies in a given copy run. A second register on copy 12 counter 153 receives signals over cable 155 from document 13 reproduction portion 13 signifying the number of copies 14 actually produced in a given set of copies. When the signal contents of register 153 equals the signal contents of , 16 register 141, the copy set is complete and the document 17 reproduction machine is turned off by a last copy signal 18 supplied over line 156. To this end, compare circuit 157 19 responds to signals from control regis-ter 141 and from copy ' 20 count register 153 to supply the last copy signal through OR
21 circuit 157, thence to line 156 for turning the document 5~r' : .
22 reproduction machine 10 off. The last copy signal also goes 23 to copy select controller 150. To synchronize operation of 24 compare 157 with the image or copy cycles of portion 13, image indicating timing signals travel over line 13A to 26 compare 157.

27 Copy select controller 150 includes a register 28 position select control 160 which detects the data signals ~ ' '' :, :: .: .': : ' : ,: :

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., , .' 1 in cable 151 for significant values and simultaneously .~ 2 controls register position selector 161. Register position 3 selector 161 in turn controls reyister controller 162 for 4 selectively inserting cable 151 signals into control register . 5 141 and shiEt signal contents thereof to more significant .
6 digit positions. Register controller 162 includes reset 7 means 163 which rese-ts appropriately digit positions of ; 8 register 141, as well as gating means 164 which selectively g actuates control register 141 to receive the cable 151 data .' 10 signals. Register position selector 16i indicates the 11 number o~ signi~icant digits in control register 141 and 12 controls the gating means 164 and the reset means 163 to , 13 appropriately control register 141 to receive the serial 14 decimal digits from keyboard 130. Position select control 160 reads a digit received indicating signal over line 160A
,'~'! 16 to increment a counter (not shown) in selector 161 to a 17 reference state (register 141 can be empty) over line R.
i 18 Limit control 165 limits the number of copies in a copy set .i 19 by selectively altering -the signal contents of control ' 20 register 141 in accordance with functional capabilities of : 21 the document reproduction machine 10. That is, the modulus , ! .~'~ , .
: 22 of register 141 is 1000. Some elements (paper bins, for 23 example), (not shown) of machine 10 may have a capacity of ; 2~ 500 copies; limit control 165 limits the number of copies to ; 25 500 when such element is used in a copy run. Limit control 26 165 and the select modulus signals received over cable 166 ', 27 provide additional controls on automatically limiting the ..` 28 number of copies in a given copy set in accordance with . .

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1 selections beyond the control of the operator. Reset means 2 163 receives the console 131 ~enerated reset signals POR, 3 RST (rese-t switch closed) as well as -the timer 132 signal on ~ line 135 to reset register 141 to a reference state (0).
Reset me~ns 163 has one reset time 163A for each of the 6 register 141 digit positions.
7 Decode circuit 170 examines the signal contents of 8 control register 141 and register 153 for illegal signal 9 patterns and for de-tecting when the signal contents of register 153 has a numerical value greater than the numeri-11 cal value con-tained in control register 141. In the latter 12 case, a stop signal is supplied over line 171 through OR
13 circuit 157 to turn off the document reproduction machine 14 10. Additionally, an alarm may be sounded, or a suitable indicator (not shown) is illuminated within panel 52. Decode 16 170 also supplies control register 141 decoded signals 17 indica-ting the magnitude of the value signals in that register.
18 Limit control 165 responds to those signals for determining 19 whether or no-t the signal contents of register 141 should be altered to coincide with the functional capabilities of 21 document reproduction machine 10.
22 Gating means 164 respond to the Kl, K2 coun-ter 23 states of register position selector 161, a counter, to 24 achieve the shifting and data insertion into control register 141. Control register 141 is a decimal shift register 26 having the units, tens, and one hundreds digit positions.
27 It is preferred that register 141 con-tain signals in the 28 binary coded decimal notation, no limitation thereto in-tended.

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1 Cable 151 is connected to the unit digit position which 2 consists of four D-type flip-flops (not shown). The data 3 signals on cable 151 are supplied -to the data input (D) of 4 the respective D-type latches (not shown) while the gating means 164 control signals are connected to the clock inputs 6 (not shown).
7 The sequence oE inserting signals into register 8 141 is achieved by the distributor pulses 1-4. Distributor 9 pulse 1 de-tects receipt of a digit value by digit value ln selector 145. The circuits 164 are then conditioned for 11 detecting the action required for inserting the received 12 value signals or for inhibiting the received value signals ;
- 13 by the line 146 signal. In the event signals reside in the 14 units and tens digit positions of register 141, the 2 dis-tributor pulse plus the K2 indicating state of counter 161, 16 as well as the line 146 active signal to shift the signal 17 contents of the register 141 tens digit position to the 18 register 141 hundreds digit position, all of the above 19 indicated by line 172. Such shifting is achieved by circuitry 2~ (not shown) contained within register 141 as is well known 21 in the arts. Then, at distributor time 3, the line 146 22 signal the Kl and K2 states shifts the signal contents of ~ 23 the register 141 units digit position (not shown) to the ;, 24 tens digit position (not shown), all of the above indicated by line 173. This action is iden-tical to the shift from the 26 tens to the hundreds digit position. Finally, the 4 distributor 27 pulse and the line 42 pulse activate the C inputs of the D
28 latches (not shown) in the register 141 units digit position, 29 all as indicated by line 174.
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1 ~eset means 163 cooperates with selector 161 and 2 the other previously indica-ted reset control siynals for 3 rese-tting and conditioning control register 141 to reflect 4 the desired number of copies to be produced.
~ 5 Referring now more particularly to FIGURE 5, auto-: 6 matic reselection is described- Controls 60, 181, etc., are 7 actuated by circuits from control panel 52 which include a 8 plurality of manually actuated switches 55 and 180. Closure , 9 of the switch 55, 180 actuate a corresponding pulse former, ;~ 10 such as pulse former 56 for emitting a trigger switching 11 pulse to alternate the signal state of the respective mode ~ :
12 selection triggers 60 and 181. Accordingly, -two closures 13 of the switches 180 successively select a mode and deselect 14 such mode. Additionally, time-out timer 132 emits its time-out reselection pulse over line 135, resetting all of the 16 triggers 60 and 181 to the dominant mode indicating state.
17 For -the illustrated embodiment, the dominant mode corresponds 18 to the reset state of the mode selection latches 60, 181.
19 Additionally, time-out timer 132 rese-ts con-trol register 141 ~ : ~
20 to its reference state for producing a single copy from ~ -~, 21 single original and rese-ts copy count register 153 to the .~ 22 zero state via O~ circuit 182.

23 Dominant mode reselect control 17 actuates time-out 24 timer 132 by an appropriate enabling signal over line 134.

. 25 During normal operations, line 134 carries an inhibit signal ~ 26 pxeventing time-out timer 132 from issuing any pulses or from ., 27 timing any predetermined period. In this regard, time-ou-t ..

28 timer 132 may be a monostable multivibrator or an oscillator l 29 driven counter for measuring elapsed time. ..
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1 Intermedlate machine state indicatiny lines 185 2 include line 74A for indicating an intermediate state in 3 the duplex copy mode, plus line 186 connected to line 198 4 and indicating an intermediate state in a jam error recovery procedure. Additionally, machine 10 may include o-ther inter-6 mediate state indicating lines 187. All of the lines 185 7 supply signals via OR circuit 188 to partially enable AND
8 circuit 189. AND circuit 189 also receives a NOT RUN or NOT START signal from latch 88 via line 190, plus an A timing pulse from timing si~nal generator 152 of FIGURE 3. AND
11 circuit 189 then emits a timer actuating pulse over line 134 12 to initiate time-out timer 132.
13 Timer 132 can be stopped by latch 88 being set to 14 the active condition. Latch 88 may be set via OR circuit 191 15 which is electrically interposed between AND 87 and latch 88 -16 of FIGURE 2. Recovery restart controls 195 selectively 17 set start latch 88 via OR circuit 191 after a jam condition 18 or other interrupted stoppage of the document reproduction 19 machine 10. Cable 196 indicates connections to other portions of the machine with regard to such automatic restarting. The ~; -21 functions of recovery restart controls 195 applying to select 22 control 17 only concerns control 17 resetting restart controls 23 195 upon a time-out of timer 132. Such action is important 2~ to prevent an inadvertent restarting of machine 10 after the timer has indicated the dominant mode has been reselected.
26 To reset restart controls 195, AND circuit 197 passes the 27 line 135 pulse after a jam as indicated by signal on line 198 28 from paper jam circuits 90. The line 198 signal is maintained until a predetermined time after s-l:art latch 88 has been set 2 to the active condition. Such memory is importan-t to main-3 taining appropria-te interactions during the error recovery 4 procedures. ~ -Additionally, timer 132 may be reset and inhibited 6 from timing out by various other machine states. Such states 7 include Not Ready, Diagnostic Mode, Power On Rese-t, Copy 8 Cycle, etc.
9 The intermediate state generation for the duplex mode includes AND circuit 200 responding to the duplex 11 indicating signal on line 191 to pass either the line 74 12 signal or the line 45 signal received via OR circuit 201.
13 The line 45 signal signifies paper is in in-terim storage 1~ unit ~0 as sensed by switch 41 (FIGURE 2). In a practical embodiment of the invention, it is preferred that switch 41 16 supply the line 74 signal.
17 The second intermediate state indicated by the 18 signal on line 186 as derived from the intermediate signal 19 generating line 198 includes a jam clear latch 205, signify-ing that the paper jam is clear but that further operator ~; 21 action is required before document reproduction machine 10 ! ~`~ .
22 can be started. Jam clear latch 205 operates with respect 23 to paper jams in any portion of the machine. Jam clear 2~ latch 205 normally is in the reset state. AND circuit 206 ; 25 responds to the line 198 signal a B type timing pulse, start 26 latch being reset as indicated on line 190, and the paper 27 path switches 207 all being closed indicating absence of ` 28 paper in the paper path (not shown) to supply a latch ,~ .

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1 setting signal through set jam clear latch 205 to the 2 active condi-tion. When in the ac-tive condition, A~ID circuit 3 208 is disabled such that the jam signal is not passed.
4 Further, the jam swi-tches 207 are required to enable AND
clrcuit 208.
6 The intermediate state is removed by switch 210 7 closing to indicate that the access door to the paper jam area has been closed. AND circuit 211 ls enabled by the 9 switch 210 closing and jam clear latch 205 being in the active state to pass an A timing pulse resetting jam clear 11 latch 205. This action when switches 207 are closed and a 12 jam condition has been memorized~ passing an enabling 13 signal from jam clear latch 205 through AND 208, thence, OR
i4 188 to enable AND circuit 189.
The above action indicates the character of inter-16 mediate states usable with document reproduction machine 10 17 for achieving the goals of the present invention. It is 18 clear that other forms of intermediate states can be used 1~ with equal effectiveness for enabling reselection controls.
Copy count register 153 can be reset at start time 2l independent of reselection control 17. To this end, AND
22 circuit 215 receives a plurality of signals as indicated by 23 lines 216 and OR circuit 47 for setting start latch to the 24 active condition via O~ circuit 115 as well as clearing copy count register 153. Both modes of resetting copy count 26 register 153 may be employed in the same machine.
27 Dominant mode characteristics are a function o~ copy 2~ production goals. For example, when a document reproduction ~ 2~

s l machine has a plurallty of lmage inputs, such as a platen 2 plus an automatic laser type image generator, -the dominant 3 mode may use the laser input to -the exclusion of the platen ~ input. When the platen i5 to be used, the laser input is overridden. Then upon completion of the pla-ten input job, 6 the time-out reselects -the dominant input -- the laser image 7 generator. In such a machine, a fully automatic input mode 8 is a dominant mode. Other diverse characteristics can be 9 equally included in a dominant copy production mode. -.

10 While the invention has been particularly shown ~ -

11 and described with reference to preferred embodiments :-.

12 thereof, it will be understood by those skilled in the art

13 that various changes in form and details may be made therein

14 without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. .
lS What is claimed is:

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Claims (19)

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows:

1. A document reproduction machine operable in a succession of copy runs and copy jobs including multi-run copy jobs, a control element for initiating a copy run and imposing one of a plurality of copy modes on said machine, including a dominant copy mode; control means indicating given machine states within said copy modes; run means indicating no active copy run being performed in said machine, a time-out timer for timing a predetermined time-out period;
the improvement including in combination:
status means in said control means indicating a predetermined intermediate one of said given machine states;
reselect means responsive to said time-out timer timing said predetermined time-out period to select said dominant mode;
reselect control means responsive to said run means and absence of said indicated predetermined intermediate given machine state to actuate said time-out timer to time said predetermined period; and start means in said run means to stop said timer from timing.

2. The machine set forth in Claim 1 wherein said one copy mode establishes a plurality of one mode copy runs to produce one set of copies;
interim storage means for holding partially pro-duced copies intermediate ones of said one mode copy runs;
intermediate means indicating copies in said interim storage unit; and said status means being responsive to said inter-mediate means to indicate said predetermined intermediate machine state.

3. The machine set forth in Claim 2 wherein said one copy mode is a duplex copy mode and means actuating said control element to remove said duplex copy mode whereby said predetermined intermediate machine state is removed even with said partially produced copies remaining in said interim storage means.

4. The machine set forth in Claim 2 wherein said one copy mode is a duplex mode, the improvement further including in combination:
first means in said control element indicating end of duplex copy production job; and duplex job terminating means being responsive to said first indicating means to transport said partially pro-duced copies from said interim storage means to said output portion and including means inhibiting said time-out timer while emptying said interim storage means.

5. The machine set forth in Claim 4 wherein said intermediate means includes sensing means for sensing presence of one or more copies in said interim storage means.

6. The machine set forth in Claim 4 wherein said intermediate means further includes side indicating means for indicating first and second image one mode copy run production; and means supplying said second image copy indication to said duplex run terminating means for enabling said transport of said single-image partially produced duplex copies from said interim storage means.

7. The machine set forth in Claim 1 having jam recovery means;
jam clear means in said recovery means indicating a recovered machine state; and said status means responsive to said jam clear means to supply said predetermined intermediate machine state.

8. The machine set forth in Claim 7 further including:
preparatory means for preparing said machine for copy production and operative to reset said jam clear means from indicating said recovered machine state whereby said predetermined intermediate state ceases.

9. The machine set forth in Claim 1 wherein said control element includes copy count means;
the improvement further including:
means operative after said time-out means to reset said copy count means to a reference count state.

10. The machine set forth in Claim 1 further having a jam recovery restart circuit;
the improvement further including:
means responsive to said time-out timer to reset said restart circuit.

11. A document reproduction machine operable in a succession of copy runs and copy jobs including multi-run copy jobs, a control element for initiating a copy run and imposing at least one of a plurality of copy modes on said machine, including a dominant copy mode;
mode control means indicating a multi-run copy job copy mode;
error control means indicating one of a plurality of error states in said machine;
run means indicating no active copy run being per-formed in said machine;
a time-out timer for timing a predetermined time-out period;
the improvement including in combination:
intermediate means in one of said control means indicating an intermediate machine status with respect to said one control means;
reselect control means jointly responsive to said run means indicating no active copy run and to said inter-mediate means not indicating said intermediate machine state to actuate said time-out timer to time said predetermined time-out period; and reselect means responsive to said time-out timer completing timing said predetermined time-out period to force selection in said machine to said dominant mode.

12. The machine set forth in Claim 11, the im-provement further including in combination:
run status means in said intermediate means in-dicating a predetermined intermediate state of a multi-run copy job;
recovery status means in said intermediate means indicating a predetermined intermediate state in recovery from a given error condition; and means combining said multi-run and said error status intermediate state indications as said intermediate machine state.

13. The machine set forth in Claim 12 further including in combination:
job control means in said control element actuating said run status means to end of a copy job; and end of multi-run job means responsive to said job control means and to said multi-run intermediate state to further inhibit said time-out timer.

14. The machine set forth in Claim 13 including;
means in said job control means resetting said multi-run intermediate state and means in said end of multi-run job means to memorize said multi-run intermediate state;
interim means storing partially produced copies; and empty means responsive to said memorized multi-run intermediate state to automatically remove said partially produced copies from said interim means.

15. The machine set forth in Claim 11 having automatic restart means for restarting said machine from a point of error, further including in combination:
restart preparatory means resetting said error control means to remove said one error state indication; and said time-out timer connected to said restart means for resetting same to a non-start state.

16. A method of operating a document reproduction machine, the steps of:
selecting an operational copy mode in said machine;
measuring elapsed time of non-use of said machine up to a predetermined time;
indicating an intermediate state of the machine during said non-use;
inhibiting said measuring during said intermediate state indication;
removing said intermediate state indication; and automatically selecting a dominant operational copy mode upon expiration of said measured predetermined time.

17. The method set forth in Claim 16 further in-cluding the steps of:
after removing said intermediate state indication but before selecting said dominant copy mode, executing an intermediate copy transport function in said machine; and inhibiting said measuring while executing said intermediate function.

18. The method set forth in Claim 16 further in-cluding the steps of:
detecting a machine error;
correcting a machine error;
indicating said intermediate state after correcting said machine error;
preparing the machine for copy production; and removing said intermediate state indication upon preparing said machine.

19. The method set forth in Claim 16 wherein one of said copy modes requires a multi-run copy job, further including the steps of;
storing partially produced copies within said multi-run copy job; and inhibiting said timer until said job is complete irrespective of non-use between successive ones of said runs within said job.