CA1104188A - Electronic copy selection controls for a document reproduction machine - Google Patents

Abstract

ABSTRACT

A document reproduction machine having a settable copy select register is described in which there is provided means for resetting said copy select register to zero, means for starting a given copy run in said machine, and means responsive to the starting means and the copy select regis-ter to actuate the machine to produce a number of copies indicated by the copy select register and further having means responsive to the copy select register being reset to zero and to the starting means to actuate the machine to produce a single copy during the given copy run.

Description

REPRODUCTION MACHINE
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This is a division of application number 269,831 filed January 17, 1977 by the applicant.
The present invention relates to document reproduction machines and particularly to electronic copy selection and related controls for a convenience copier type of document reproduction machine.
Xerographic and other forms of document reproduction machines have been used for years as convenience copiers, as well as for higher throughput of copy production, such as found in printing or publication centers. There has been a trend from the original relay and cam-operated machines to electronic controls, as well as program controls of such document reproduction machines. Adoption of electronic controls generally has provided a greater flexibility in controlling document reproduction sO976003 . ~

1 machines. A further change is the adoption of keyboard

2 input for selecting the number of copies to be made o~ a

3 given original document. Such keyboard e~try usually

4 results in a serial transmission of digits to a shift register in a manner similar to that of entry into an 6 adding machine or a pocket electronic calculator. Once 7 the copy number has been inserted into the shift register, 8 a clear button enables the shift register to be cleared g for permitting insertion of a new number, a machine reset clears the number, or a power down clears the number.

11 Hence, to change the selection of the number of copies 12 to be reproduced requires externally actuated clearing 13 action followed by insertion of the new number.
14 In other machines the copy select register is counted to zero or one, destroying the selection. Such 16 action re~uires a new selection for each copy run~ an 17 operator inconvenience to be arrested.

18 While the above features permit utilization of 19 electronic circuits in controlling a document reproduction machine, the interaction between the operator and the 21 document reproduction machine requires the operator to 22 clear the selection before inserting a new one. Also, 23 machine reaction to the selection has nc affect upon the 24 selection itself. For example, if a numbex of copies greater than the capacity of the machine is selected, a 26 machine produces copies up to the capacity of the machine, 27 then the machine has been put in a wait state. Upon the 28 operator removing the copies from the collator or other 1 unit, which is filled up, then the machine automatically resumes the copy run.
In summary, it is desired to enhance the con-venience of the operator using a conven:ience copier while facilita~ing throughput with minimal attention of the operator.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the invention to provide an electronic document reproduction machine having enhanced electronic control data entry controls for tending to minimize operator attention to details while controlling or limiting the operator selections to predetermined functions and copy quantities in accordance with design goals of the machine.
An aspect of the invention provides a document reproduction machine having a settable copy select register.
There are provided means fcr resetting said copy select register to zero, means for starting a given copy run in said machine, and means responsive to said starting means and said copy select register to actuate said machine to produce a number of copies indicated by said copy select register and further having means responsive -to said copy select register being reset to zero and to said starting means to actuate said machine tc produce a single copy during said given copy run.
A featu~e of the invention is to keep a copy selection in a control register until a new selection is made or a timer has timed out upon nor,~use of the machine.
Further, control circuits in the machine facilitate insert-ing new selections into the control reyister.
A document reproduction machine using the presentinvention preferably includes a multidigit position control RO~76003 1 register which receives control or value digit signals from a manually actuatable keyboard or other suitable source.
Position means indicate the number of significant digit value signals contained in the control register. When the position means is in a nonreference state and the machine is operating, further entries into the register are in-hibited. However, upon completion of a copy run, the Bo976003 3a 1 position means is reset to ~ reference state enabling 2 insertion of a new number into the control register. The 3 signal contents of the control re~ister are unchanged.
4 Further, in another aspect of the invention, register control means jointly respond to t~e posi-tion 6 means indicating that all digit positions of the control 7 register have significant value signals therein and the 8 keyboard was actuated, a new value from the keyboard is 9 inserted into the control register which is substituted for the present signal contents of such control register.
11 The control register and the position means are selectively 12 resettable to a predetermined state in accordance with 13 predetermined machine operational conditions. As an 14 example, when the machine is in a duplex copy production mode (images are impressed upon both sides of the copies 16 being produced), the machine having an interim copy 17 storage means of finite capacity limits the number of 18 copies to be produced in a given run to the capacity of the 19 interim storage means. If an operator selects a number of copies to be produced greater than such capacity, then the 21 machine automatically alters the signal contents of the 22 control re~ister to the maximum capacity of the interim 23 storage means. In a similar manner, a collator may be 24 attached to the document reproduction machine. Such ~5 collator may have a limited number of bins, i.e., may 26 accept a limited number of copies to be collated in a 27 given set of copies. For exa~ple, a machine may have either 28 a 25-bin collator or a 50-bin collator. In the event the 1 25-bin collator is attached to the machine, the maximum 2 number of copies to be produced in the collate mode would 3 be limited to 25. Similarly, or a 50-bin collator, the 4 maximum number of copies is 50.
In another aspect of th~ invention, the keyboard 6 entry produces value signals which are detected in 7 accordance with a scanning counter and a comparison circuit.
8 A closure counter integrator determines whether or not a g sufficient actuation of the key occurs before a value signal is inserted into the control register. Similarly, the 11 closure counter integrator measures contact break time for 12 indicating that a key has been released. These counts 13 gate the digit value selected by the scanning counter for 14 insertion into the control register. Provisions are made for selecting one and only one digit value signal for each 16 depression of the keyboard; i.e., a plurality of keys may 17 be simultaneously depressed, but only one value signal 18 will be transferred. Further, means are provided for l9 ignoring insignificant zero digits, i.e., zeroes to the left of the first nonzero value signal.
21 The foregoing and other objects, features, and 22 advantayes of the invention will become apparent from the 23 following more particular description of the preferred ~4 embodiment thereof, as illustrated in the accompanying drawing 26 T~IE DRAWING
27 FIGURE 1 is a diagrammatic and block diagram 28 showing of a document reproduction machine incorporating 29 the teachings of the present invention.

1 FIGURE 2 is an ideali~ed set of timing signals 2 usuable to time the operation of the electronic circuits 3 shown in FIGURE 1.
4 FIGURE 3 is a combined block and signal flow diagram showing a digit value selector and a copy select 6 controller usable with the FIGURE 1 illustrated document 7 reproduction machine.
8 FIGURE 4 is a simplified combined block.and signal 9 flow diagram of a limit control usable with the FIGU~E 1 illustrated document reproduction machine.

12 Referring now more paxticularly to the drawings, 13 like numerals indicate like parts and structural features 14 in the various diagxams. Overview of an illustrative em-bodiment of ~he invention is best seen by referring to FIGURE
16 1. A document reproduction machine has an original image 17 portion 10 controlled by a set of imaging controls 11.
18 The image is obtained from an original document (not shown) 19 placed on a platen ~not shown). in the usual manner, and then projected upon an image area of a photoconductor memher ~not 21 shown) or other document repxoducing unit ~not shown), all 22 contained within a document reproduction portion 12 of the 23 machine. Portion 12 is controlled by a set of process controls 24 13, all constructed using known techniques and in a known manner. The copies produced by the document reproduction 26 portion 12 are transferred along a paper path (not shown) to 27 a copy output por~ion 14 for accumulation or collation, as 28 the case may be. Portion 14~ in turn, is controlled by 29 output controls 15~ It is to be understood that -~3'~

1 the three controls 11, 13, and 15 have interconnections 2 and interactions or coordinating and synchronizing the 3 operations of all the poxtions 10, 12, and 14 with the 4 movement of a photoconductor member (not shown) in documen-t reproduction portion 12. A document reproduction machine 6 of the type controllable by the circuits of the present 7 invention include that shown in U. S. Patent 3~834,807.
8 It is also to be understood that other document reproduction 9 machines may be similarly controlled, such as the so-called Copier II manufactured and sold by International Business 11 Machines Corporation, ~rmonk, New York. Those machines 12 do not have complete electronic controls. Rather, a timing 13 shaft havin~ cams thereon actuate switches (circuit 14 breakers - CB's) to produce control signals called CB
signals. Such cs signals synchronize the operation of all 16 portions of the document reproduction machine. As an 17 example, a CBl signal i5 supplied by process controls 13 18 over line 16 for interrogating circuitry added to the 19 document reproduction machine 10-15 for incorporating the present invention into such a machine. Such machines also 2L have a turn-off signal, i.e., an indication tha~ the number 22 of copies to be made have been actually made. Such turn-of 23 signal, as supplied over line 17 to process controls 13 24 initiate a shut-down of the document reproduction machine ~5 as is well known in the art and is not described for that 26 reason. Exchanginy signals between electronic circuits 27 and relay circuits is well known and not described for 28 that reason.

1 The present invention provides enhanced keyboard , control 20 of the document reproduction machine 10-15 as 3 well as enhancing control based upon signals received from 4 con~unication circuits (not shown) and other automatic (not shown) or semiautomatic (not shown) control inputs.
6 Such a keyhoard 20 is usually mounted in a console 21 for 7 the document reproduction machines 10-15. In addition to 8 keyboard 20, the console includes operator station dis-9 place and selection switches 22, as well as a timer 23 which deselects certain operato~ selections if the document 11 reproduction machine 10-15 has not been used for a pre-12 determined time. Such predetermined time will vary upon 13 selection parameters of the document reproduction machine.
14 In one machine 10 15, timer 23 had a time-out of 30 seconds.
In another, 90 seconds timed out all of the selections.
16 The timer 23 is reset by a signal traveling over line 24 17 from station 22 each time the machine is turned off. Of 18 course, when the machine is running, a second signal on 19 line 24 inhibits operation of timer 23. When timer 23 has timed out, it supplies an actuating signal over line 25 21 for resetting the selections, as well as providing certain 22 control functions in connection with the present invention, 23 as will be later described.
24 Keyboard 20 can be of any design. However, it is preferred that the keying arrangement be as shown in 26 FIGURE 1. The numeral 1 is selected by the left-hand 27 button 30, number 2 by button 31, etc., through button 32 23 which selects zero. An operator selects the number of 1 copies to be produced by a succession of key depressions.
2 For example, if 156 copies are to be produced, the operator 3 depresses key 30 (selects 1), then the 5~indicating key 33, 4 and then the 6-indicating key 34~ The number 156 is then automatically inserted into control register 35 and 6 suitably displayed in station 22 by signals supplied over 7 cable 36 from control register 35. Such signals from 8 register 35 are also applied to the controls 11, 13, and 15.
9 Additionaliy, station 22 supplies selection control signals over cable 37 to the circuits of the present invention, as 11 later described, as well as to the controls 11, 13, and 15, 12 the la~ter in accordance with known design techniques.
13 The electronic circuits 41-62 illustrated in 14 FIGURE 1 are electrically interposed between keyboard 20 and control register 35 provide the enhanced functions of 16 the invention as well as operator convenience and a more 17 automatic control of copier 10~15.
18 Xeyboard 20 key closure signals travel over 19 cable 40 (having 10 circuits,.one for each key) actuating digit value selector circuit 41 to detect the value of the 21 key depressed, as well as integrating the closures and 22 openings for eliminating noise and bounce caused noise 23 signals. Selector 41 is described later in detail with 24 respect to FIGURE 3. Its functions include supplying a digit received signal over line 42 to actuate copy select 26 controller 43 to insert a new da~a value into control ~7 register 35. The data values are supplied in binary coded 28 decimal, or other coded form, over cable 44 to copy sos76003 9 r~ ~

1 select controller 43 and to control register 35. Controller 2 43 examines the data signals on cable 44 for determining 3 whether or not a significant value signal is being received.
4 If no significant value signal is being received, then the data value signals are not inserted into control register 6 35.
7 A timing signal generator 45 synchronizes the 8 operation of a portion of the illustrated electronic 9 circuits 41-62. It provides a high-frequency signal A
(see FIGURE 2), a submultiple frequency B, and a set of 11 four distributor pulses 1-4 or sequencing copy select 12 controller 43.
13 Control register 35 is the same as a copy select 14 register used in the Copier II, supra, and in other convenience copiers. That is, the signal content of 16 control register 35 signifies the number of copies to be 17 made in a copy set, i.e., how many times the original image 18 is to be reproduced in a set of copies in a given copy run.
19 A second register 50 receives signals over cable 51 from process con-trols 13 signifying the number of copies 21 actually produ~ed in a given set of copies. When the signal 22 contents of register 50 equals the signal contents of 23 register 35, ~he copy se~ is comple~e and the document 24 reproduction machine is turned off by a signal supplied over line 17. To this end, compare circuit 52 responds to 26 signals from control register 35 and from copy count 27 register 50 to supply an RC (run complete) signal through 28 OR circuit 53, thence to line 17 for turning the document sos76003 10 1 reproduction machine 10-15 off. The RC signal is also 2 suppli.ed to copy select controller 33 for enabling a 3 later described override input feature for control register 4 35.
Copy select controller 43 includes a register 6 position select cont~ol 55 which detects the data on 7 cable 44 for significant value and simultaneously controls 8 register position selector 59. Register position selector 9 59 in turn controls register controller 56 for selectively inserting cable 44 signals into control register 35 and 11 sh.ift signal contents thereof to more significant digit 12 positions. Register controller 56 includes reset means 57 13 which resets certain digit positions of register 35, as 14 well as gating means 58 which selectively actuates control register 35 to receive the cable 44 data signals. Re~ister 16 position selector 59 indicates the number of significant 17 digits in control register 35 and controls the gating means 18 58 and the reset means 57 for employing an override function 19 and data value insertion principles o the present invention.
Limit control 60 limits the number of copies in a copy set 21 by selectively altering the signal contents of control 22 register 35 in accordance with functional capabilities of 23 the document reproduction machine 10-15, as described in 24 detail with respect to the showing in FIGURE 4. Limit control 60 and the select modulus signals received over 26 cable 61 provide additional controls on automatically 27 limiting the number of copies in a given copy set in 28 accordance with selections beyond the control of the operator.

r~ , \

1 Decode circuit 62 examines the signal contents 2 of control register 35 and register 50 for illegal signal 3 patterns and for detecting when the signal contents o~
4 register 50 has a numerical value greater than the numeri-cal value contained in control register 35. In the latter 6 case, a stop signal is supplied over line 63 through OR
7 circuit 53 to turn off the document reproduction machine 8 10-15. Additionally, an alarm may be sounded, or a 9 suitable indicator (not shown) is illuminated within station 22. Decode 62 also supplies control register 35 decoded 11 signals indicating the magnitude of the value signals in 12 that register. Limit control 60 responds to those signals 13 for determining whether or not the signal contents of 14 register 35 should be altered to coincide with the functional capabilities of document reproduction machines 16 10-15.
17 Referring now more particularly to FIGURE 3, 18 digit value selector 41 is detailed. Selector 41 is 19 enabled only when process controls 13 are supplying a not copy run signal over line 70 which enables compare circuit 21 71, decade or 10's counter 72, and AND circuit 73. 10's ~2 counter 72 scans the key selections received by compare 23 circuit 71. The scan is operated at the rate by A pulses 24 poking through AND circuit 73 to continually increment counter 72. When compare circuit 71 detects a coincidence 26 between the numerical conten~ of counter 72 and the decoded 27 value of a key closure activated line in cable 40, compare 28 circuit 71 latches the comparison and supplies an active Bo976003 12 "~

1 signal over line 74 for initiatiny a determination of whether 2 or not a sufficient contact closure is occurring. At all 3 other times, compare circuit 71 supplies a noncompare indi-4 cating signal over line 75 which partially enables AND
circuit 73 to pass the A pulses. Digit received indicating 6 latch 76 being reset supplies a no digit received signal 7 over line 77 for completing control of AND circuit 73.
8 Accordingly, counter 72 counts the A pulses until compare 9 circuit 71 removes the line 75 signal, at which time the value signals are generated in counter 72 in correspondence 11 with closure of a key in keyboard 20. The signal con~ents 12 of counter 72, which is preferably in binary coded decimal, 13 but may be in straight binary or other number notational 14 system, supplies the resultant value signals over cable 4 as mentioned with respect to FI~URE 1.
16 Digit value selector 41 also selects one and 17 only one set keyboard 20 selected value signals. If two 18 keys are simultaneously actuated, selector 41 supplies 19 value signals corresponding to but one key. Such action i5 achieved by the ten's counter 72 scan. The scan is 21 interrupted upon compare circui~ 71 detecting a comparison 22 with any key. The first successful comparison stops the 23 scan and initiates inserting a value signal into control 24 register 35. All other selections are excluded. Hence, which key is received is a random function of the scan 26 position (count in counter 72) and time of keyboard 27 actuation~
28 Closure counter 80 determines a satisfactory 1 closure or opening of a keyboard 20 key. A pair of AND/OR
2 (AO) circuits 81 and 84 control closure counter 80. To 3 detect a closure, ~he Al input portion of AO (AND/O~) 81 4 is enabled -to pass B pulses to increment closure counter 80 from a reference state, such as all 0's. When closure 6 counter 80 is counted to a predete.rmined number, for 7 example, 78, counter 80 then supplies an activating signal 8 over line 82 enabling AND circuit 83 to pass a distributor 9 1 pulse for setting digit latch 76. Hence, 78 B pulses de-fine a satisfactory closure of a keyboard 20 key. Circuit-11 wi~e, the Al portion of AO 81 is enabled to pass the B
12 pulses when digit latch 76 is reset and when compare 71 13 is supplying a successful compare signal over line 74.
14 In a similar manner, a contact opening is detected by closure counter 80 counting to 73 "B" pulses. To this 16 end, the A2 input portion of AO 81 receives the B pulses 17 whenever compare circuit 71 is supplying a noncompare active 18 signal over line 75 and digit latch 76 has been set; i~e., 19 a digit has been successfully received from keyboard 20.
Now, closure counter 80 has to detect release of the key 21 by counting to decimal 73. When closure counter 80 reaches 22 count 73, it supplies an active signal over line 85 enabling 23 AND circuit 86 to reset digit latch 76.
24 Intermediate the above-described counting activity, counter 80 is reset by AO 84. The AO 84 input portion 26 responds to digit latch 76 being in the reset state, as 27 indicated by the active signal on line 77 and to compare 28 circuit 71 supplied active signal over line 75 to reset 29 closure counter 80. That is, when digit latch 76 indi.cates ~0976003 1~

3~

1 no digit has been received and compare circuit 71 2 signifies no key is closed, i.e., all keys are open, then 3 closure cou~ter 80 can be reset for detecting the next 4 closure; i.e., count to decimal 78. In a similar manner, the ~2 input portion of AO 8q responds to diyit latch 76 6 set indicating signal on line 42 and the compare 71 7 comparison signal received over line 74 to reset counter 8 80. This detection signifies that compare circuit 71 has 9 detected a contact closure and that counter 80 already has counted to 78 and set digit latch 76. Accordingly, 11 counter 80 should be reset for conditioning the circuits 12 to detect a contact opening. In summary, in accordance 13 with the above detection processes, selector 41 supplies 14 a digit received indication signal on line 42 and the lS corresponding detected value signals over cable 44.
16 Before entering the value signals on cable 44 17 into control register 35, position select control 55 18 determines whethar or not a new significant data value 19 has been received. Decode 90 detects for an all-O's indication o a cable 44 signal. If a zero is detected, 21 it supplies an activating signal over line 91 to NAND
22 circuit 92. If the register position selector counter 59 23 is already in the later described KO state, i.e., there 24 are no value signals in register 35 or an override, as later described, is enabled, an active signal on line 93 26 completes actuation of NAND 92. NAND 92 then supplies 27 an activating signal over line 94 to activate AND circuit 28 95. AND circuit 95 only passes an incrementing signal 1 over line 96 for incrementing the position selector counter 2 59, as later described, when digit latch 76 is set, as 3 indicated by the line 42 signal, and closure counter 80 4 has detected a key opening, as indicated by the line 85 signal being active~ These conditions indicate significant 6 digit value signals in cable 44. Incrementing counter 59 7 only under those conditions also suppresses entry of non-8 significant zeroes, i.e., the all zeroes to the left of 9 the first non-zeroes digit. Hence, for all nonsignificant zeroes, the line 96 signal remains quiescen~. It should 11 be remembered that for significant zeroes, i.e., zeroes 12 to the right of nonzero digits, this action results in 13 an activation of line 96 in that counter 59 is in a non-14 zero count state.
Position select control 55 also resets position 16 counter 59 to the zero or reference state KO via OR circuit 17 100. OR circuit 100 passes all resetting and clearing 18 signals received from station 22 and process controls 13 19 to reset register position counter 59. The reset signals include a reset signal from line l01. Reset is a key 21 in station 22 which resets all electronic ci.rcuits within 22 the machine, including those circuits and relays in 23 controls 11, 13, and 15. Additionally, the ~imer 23 24 signal on line 25 time-out signal (TO) resets counter 59.
~ power-on reset signal (POR), received over line 102 26 from station 22, resets counter 59, as well as cont~ol 27 register 35. For control register 35 override, counter 59 28 is reset by the RC signal on line 17 without resetting A

1 control xegister 35. This override enables the operator 2 to insert a new set of value signals or control signals 3 into register 35 without depressing either a reset button 4 or a clear button. That is, at the end of a copy run, the present invention enables the operator to select a new 6 number of copies to be produced without manually resetting 7 control register 35.
8 The override facility mentioned above is best 9 understood by understanding the functions of the registex position selector counter 59. Counter 59 has a number of 11 count states equal to the number of digit positions in 12 control register 35. Counter 59 can either be a shift 13 register counter or a three-state binary counter. The 14 First state, K0, is a reference state signifying that the first received digit signal from keyboard 20 is to be 16 assigned to the units digit position of control register 17 35 and the more significant digit positions, lO's and lOO's, 18 contain nonsignificant zeroes. The second signaL state, 19 Kl, signifies there is a value signal in the unit digit position and that the next received signal from keyboard 21 20 should be put in the units digit position, and that the 22 significant value signal contents of the units digit position 23 should be shifted to the lO's digit position. The lOO's 24 digit position has a nonsignificant zero. Similarly, the K2 state, the third state, signifies that the units and 26 lO's digit positions contain signals and that the next 27 received signal from keyboard 20 signifies that those two 28 signals should be shifted to a more significant digit so976003 17 1 position and the newly received signal be inserted in the 2 units digit position. When control register 35 is cleared 3 to its reference state, counter 59 is always in the K0 4 state. An override, control register 35 contains value signals and still the next r~ceived value signal from keyboard 20 will replace all of the signal contents o 7 control register 35. That is, the copy number selection 8 contained in register 35 can be overridden by actuation g of the keyboard without any intervening action by the p~rator 11 Gating means 58 respond to the K0, Xl, K2 counter 12 states of counter 59 to achieve the shifting and data 13 insertion into control register 35~ Control register 35 14 includes a decimal shift register 105 having the units, tens, and one hundreds digit positions. It is preferred 16 that register 105 contain signals in the binary coded 17 decimal notation, no limitation thereto intended. Cable 18 44 is supplied to all of the unit digit positions and 19 may consist of four D-type flip-flops wherein the data signals on cable 44 are attached to the data input of 21 the respective D-type latches while the gating means 58 22 control signals are connected to the clock inputsO To this end, AND circuit 106 of gating means 58 controls 24 insertion of data signals from cable 44 into the units digit positiOn.
26 The sequence of inserting signals into register ~7 lOS is best understood by referring to the distributor 28 pulses 1-4. Distributor pulse 1 detects receipt of a Bo976003 18 1 digit value by sampling circuits 83 and 86 of digit value 2 selector 41. The circuits are then conditioned for 3 detecting the action required for inserting the received 4 value signals or for inhibiting the received value signals.
In the event signals reside in the units and tens digit 6 positions of register 105, AND circuit 107 responds to the 7 2 distributor pulse and to the X2 indicating state of 8 counter 59, as well as the line 42 active signal to g shift the signal contents of the tens digit position to the hundreds digit position, all as indicated by line 108.
11 Such shifting is achieved by circuitry (not shown) con-12 tained within register 105 as is well known in the arts.
13 Then, at distributor time 3, AND circuit 109 responds to 14 the 3 pulse, line 42 pulse, and to OR circuit 110 to shift the signal contents of the units digit position to the tens 16 digit position, as indicated by the line 111. This action 17 is identical to the shift from the tens to the hundreds 18 digit position. OR circuit 110 passes the activating 19 signals indicating the Kl or the K2 state; that is, the units digit position signals are supplied to the tens digit 21 position whenever any value signal is in the units digit 22 position. Finally, AND circuit 106 responds to the 4 23 distributor pulse and to the line 42 pulse to activate the 24 C inputs of the D latches (not shown) to the units digit position 105 as indicated by line 112.
26 Reset means 57 cooperates with counter 59 and the 27 other previously indicated reset control signals for 28 resetting and conditioning control register 35 to xeflect 1 the desired number of copies to be reproduced. The 2 override feature enabled by counter 59 being reset to 3 the K0 state by the RC line 17 signal includes activating 4 AND circuit 120 whenever the digit latch 76, line 42, s signal occurs simultaneously with the counter 59 K0 state.
6 AND circuit 120 supplies its activating signal through OR
7 circuit 121 for res~tting the tens and hundreds digit 8 positions of register 105 as signified by the small g circles 122, 123. Then, in the next distributor 4 time, AND circuit 106 inserts the received value signal from 11 cable 44 into the units diqit position. The tens and 12 hundreds digit positions of register 105 are also reset 13 by OR circuit 121 in response to a line 101 reset signal 14 and whenever OR circuit 124 receives either the POR signal on line 102 or the TO signal on line 25~ OR circuit 124 16 supplies its signal ovèr line 125 for also setting the 17 units digit position to a 1 signal state. This is done 18 in coincidence with a 4 distributor signal pulse via AND
19 circuit 126. The line 101 reset signal also supplied over line 127 resetting the units digit position of 21 register 105 to zeroes.
22 Another fèature of the illustrated document 23 reproduction machine is that whenever the control register 24 105 indicates all 0's, the document reproduction machine pr~uces one copy per copy run. In certain prior art 26 machines, an all-0's in the copy select register or dial 27 resulted in no copies being produced. To make it more 28 convenient for the operator, i.e., not requiring the 1 operator to insert a 1 in the copy select register, a 2 decode circuit 130 responds to an all-0'5 condition in 3 register 105 to generate an active signal on line 131.
4 OR circuit 132 combines the line 131 signal from the 1 indicating line from the units digit position of register 6 105 to supply a 1 signal over line 134. The line 134 7 signal not only signifies to the document reproduction 8 10-15 to produce one copy, but also is the best significant g bit of register 105 copy select control signals for a copy run of more than one copy.

11 Referring now more particularly to FIGURE 4, limit 12 control 60 and its interaction with the remaining portions 13 of the machine is detailed. In some constructed embodi-14 ments of the document reproduction machine 10-15, copy handling facilities may be limited. For example, in a 16 duplex mode wherein images are printed on both sides of 17 copy paper, an interim storage unit (not shown) is pro-18 vided within document reproduction portion 12. This 19 interim storage unit ~not shown) may have a capacity of storing 125 copy sheets, for example. In the event that 21 the copy select or control register 35 signifies in the 22 duplex mode that 200 copies are to be produced, the capacity 23 Of the interim storage unit will be exceeded. As a result, 24 paper jams or error conditions may result. A similar situation may occur when a collator is included in copy 26 output portion 14. That is, the number of copies in the 27 copy set should not excPed the number of bins in the 28 attached collator. FIGURE 4 illustrated circuits obviate 1 these problems by limiting the content of register 105 2 to the maximum capacity of the critical element in the 3 document reproduction machine involved in a particular 4 copy run.
Station 22 includes a duplex selection switch 6 140 which, when closed, actuates pulse former 141 -to 7 sample AND circuit 142. AND circui~ 142 is enabled to 8 pass the pulse former 141 signal whenever process controls 9 13 indicate that operator selections are ready to be received by a signal on line 143. Line 143 forms a 11 portion of cable 36 in FIGVRE 1 connecting process control 12 13, inter alia, to station 22. AND circuit 142 trlgge~s 13 select duplex trigger 145 to the duplex indicating state.
14 Duplex trigger 145 then supplies a duplex indicating signal to process controls 13 and to limit control 60 16 over line 146. AND circuit 147 in limit control 60 17 responds to the line 146 signal and to a start signal 18 (later described) received over line 148 and to a decode 19 62 signal on line 150 signi~ying register 105 has signal content greater than the capacity of the interim storage 21 means (not shown) to supply an active signal over line 151.
22 The line 151 signal adjusts the signal content of register 23 105 to the maximum capacity of the interim storage means 24 (not shown), for example, 1250 This is achieved via OR
circuit 152 supplying a 5 setting signal to the units digit 26 position 10 and by the line 151 signal supplying a 2 27 setting signal to the units digit position 101 and a 1 28 setting signal to the hundreds digit position 102. Upon 1 setting register 105 to 125, document xeproduction machine 2 10-15 produces 125 copies in a successful manner without 3 overloading any portion of the machine. Upon completion 4 of the production of 125 copies, the operator then may insert the appropriate number of copies remaining to be 6 màde in register 105.
Register 105 is preset as above described by one 8 of several means. As shown in FIGURE 4, closure of start g switch 155 actuating pulse former 156 passes a pulse through AND circuit 157 whenever the line 143 signal is ll active. AND circuit 157 then supplies the above-mentioned 12 line 148 signal. In the alternative, process control 13 13 may supply one of its CB pulses for interrogating AND
14 circuit 157. Yet other sources of interrogation pulses may be used.
16 A similar situation occurs when the collate mode 17 is selected by closing switch 160. Pulse former 161 supplies 18 the collate select indicating pulse to ~ND circuit 162 19 which is enabled by the line 143 signal. Select collate trigger 163 is then triggered to the collate state. The 21 select collate signal supplied over line 164 goes to the 22 output controls 15 for controlling the copy output portion 23 14. I,ine 164 signal also samples AND circuits 165, 166 24 of limit control 60. These AND circuits are selectively 2~ further enabled by the setting of single-pole, double-2~ throw switch 167. For example, if there is one collator 27 module of 25 bins, then switch 167 is set to activate AND
28 circuit 165 and deactivate AND circuit 166. On the other ~0~76~03 23 1 hand, if there are two collate modules having a total 2 of 50 collate bins, AND circuit 166 is activated to the 3 exclusion of AND circuit 165. The start signal from AND
4 157 samples both AND circuits, one of which is enabled during the collate mode or presetting register 105 to 6 either 25 or 50 (AND circuit 165, 166, respectively) 7 whenever decode 62 signifies to the AND circuit 165 and 8 166 that the signal content of register 105, respectively, 9 exceeds 25 or 50. In the above-described manner, document reproduction machine 10-15 is controlled by electronic 11 circuits for facilitating operator control while imposing 12 facility capability restrictions on operator selections.
13 The init.ial condition of the document reproduction 14 machine 10-15 and of the illustrated electronic circuits is determined by the reset signals and the POR signals, 16 respectively, on lines 101 and 102. Resetting station 22 17 via OR circuit 170 resets the select duplex trigger 145 18 and the select collate trigger 163 to the nonduplex and 19 noncollate indicating states. Accordingly, the first closure of either switches 140 or 160 will trigger the 21 respective triggers to the duplex or collate indicating 22 modes. Subsequent closures trigger those latches 145 and 23 163 back to the nonduplex and noncollate states, respectively~
24 The time-out signal TO on line 125 also resets the ~rigger.s 145 and 163 for deselecting the operator selections of 26 station 22. It is to be understood that in some document 27 reproduction machines the duplex mode may be the normal mode.
23 Such a situation resets OR circuit 170 connecting it to the 29 set side of trigger 145 and not the reset side.

1 While the invention has been particularly shown 2 and described with reference to a preferred embodiment 3 thereof, it will be understood by those skilled in the art 4 that various changes in form and detail may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.
6 What is claLmed is:

Claims (2)

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

1. A document reproduction machine having a settable copy select register;
means for resetting said copy select register to zero, means for starting a given copy run in said machine;
and means responsive to said starting means and said copy select register to actuate said machine to produce a number of copies indicated by said copy select register and further having means responsive to said copy select register being reset to zero and to said starting means to actuate said machine to produce a single copy during said given copy run.

2. The machine set forth in Claim 1 further including in combination:
means indicating an end of said given copy run;
means responsive to said indicating means enabling inserting a number into said copy select register without first clearing same or otherwise altering signal contents thereof; and manually actuated keyboard means operative with said responsive means to insert a number into said copy select register.