EP0479051B1 - Method for monitoring the copying process - Google Patents

Description

The invention is based on a method according to the preamble of the main claim.

Devices have been known for some time with which copies of previously developed photographic films can be made, the exposed photographic paper developed and then sorted. This has led to the establishment of shops or even chain stores, in which amateur photographers in particular hand in their developed films, take the copies with them in a very short time, so they can wait for their order to be completed.

It happens again and again that employees of such shops process orders for their own account and thereby use the devices for their own benefit practically free of charge. This can cause considerable damage to the owners of such shops and equipment.

GB-A-2 077 189 describes an apparatus for an electrophotographic copier with which documents can be reproduced. This device is intended to make it possible for the copies made on the device to be assigned to the corresponding departments or individuals using the device and for the device not to be used by unauthorized persons. Coded magnetic cards are provided for this purpose, which enable the device to be activated. The number of copies made is added to an account assigned to the code read.

It is therefore the object of the invention to develop a method for monitoring such copy jobs, which demonstrably records the orders processed on a copier and the number of copies made.

The object is achieved by the features described in the characterizing part of the main claim. This means that the copying process can no longer be started without opening an official order. However, as soon as an official order is opened, it is also ensured that its data are recorded. This data can no longer be deleted without the consent or consent of the owner or the responsible person. The operator can only reduce the number of copies during the final inspection. In an advantageous manner, however, this is not done by entering a keyboard, but by means of a barcode reading pen, so that manipulation is practically no longer possible here either. The operator can also read the order number into the device at the input station using a reading pen. To make the final inspection easier, at least part of the order number read in at the input station could be printed on each copy. This enables the copies to be clearly assigned to the respective order.

If an pricing unit with a data memory is connected to the copying and developing device, a corresponding data record is advantageously created in the data memory each time an order is opened.

The order number and the corresponding copy data are then transferred to this data record. During the final inspection, the number of copies made is still corrected by the operator. This data record can then only be changed or deleted using a special, access-protected program.

If a large number of test copies have to be run via the device, a special data record is also created for these copies and marked accordingly.

If after the start of the copying process by reading in the order number, the pricing unit is switched off and only switched on again at the end of the order, the copies made during this time are also transferred to the opened data record.

Fig. 1

ein Ablaufschema des erfindungsgemäßen Verfahrens und

Fig. 2

ein Kopier- und Entwicklungsgerät, das nach dem erfindungsgemäßen Verfahren arbeitet.

Further details of the invention emerge from the subclaims and are described in more detail below with reference to the drawing. Show it:

Fig. 1

a flow diagram of the method according to the invention and

Fig. 2

a copying and developing device that works according to the inventive method.

The combined copying and developing device has an input work station 1. Here is with help of the reading pen 2 the order number is removed from the order bag and read. The copying and developing device is connected via line 3 to the data storage device 10 of the pricing unit. A data record is created for the read job number in the data memory. The operator now places the film at the input station 1 in the master stage of the copying device 4. The device now checks whether an order number has already been read in using the stylus 2 and a data record has been created. If this is not the case, the copying device 4 remains locked and an error message is generated. Furthermore, the request is made to first read in the order number.

If the order number had been read in correctly, the film is automatically drawn into the copying device 4, scanned and copied. The photographic paper exposed during the copying process is developed in the developing device 5, cut and placed in the sorter 6 according to orders.

At the final inspection station 7, all images of each order are examined again for their quality. If there are unsaleable pictures, this must be taken into account when pricing out. The data record created for the job, in which the copy data - such as B. the number of copies - must be corrected accordingly. In order not to allow any manipulation here either, this is not done via keyboard input, but with the help of Reading pen 8. This can be done either by passing the reading pen over a bar code on the back of the copy, which contains the order number and the picture number, or a tray with different bar codes is provided and the operator looks for the corresponding bar code to reduce the price among the offered selection. The data record created for the order is then changed accordingly.

If the order is then checked in this way, it can be completed by the operator at the final inspection station 7. The pricing can either be done by inserting the job bag into a printer 9 or a price tag made on the printer is attached to the job bag.

Claims (7)

1. Method for monitoring the copying process in photographic copying machines, with which paper images are produced from exposed films, in particular in machines in which a copying unit is combined with a developing unit, characterised in that the copying process can be started only by the reading in of data which denote a particular order - for example of an order number - and that these data are stored together with the copying data and are protected against unauthorized access.
2. Method according to claim 1, characterised in that at the start of each individual order the order number is loaded into the data memory (10) of a price marking unit and an associated data set is opened, on completion of the order copying data - such as e.g. the number of copies made - are transferred into the data set and the data set is corrected after a final check with regard to unsaleable copies.
3. Method according to claim 2, characterised in that for the final check there is printed on each copy at least a part of the order number.
4. Method according to claim 2, characterised in that the order number is read in from the corresponding order pocket via a bar code sensor (2) and the data set is after the final check likewise corrected with a bar code sensor (8).
5. Method according to claim 2, characterised in that a special test data set is opened for test copies.
6. Method according to claim 2, characterised in that on re-connection of the price marking unit after a disconnection the number of copies made within this period is transferred into the data set.
7. Apparatus for carrying out the method according to one or more of claims 1 to 6, characterised in that there is provided on a combined copying (4) and developing machine (5) for the making of paper images from photographic films a price marking unit for calculating and printing the price for each order, that the loading point (1) for the photographic films is provided with a bar code reader (2) for reading in the order number from the order pocket and the work station for the final check (7) with a bar code reader (8) for loading the corrections and that means are provided which lock the copying apparatus (4) so long as no order number has been read in via the bar code reader (2) at the loading point (1).

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