Reproduction machine with a chain of sorter modules and a method to perform chaining tasks
US4698772A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Sep 21, 1982 |
| Grant date | Oct 6, 1987 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Sep 21, 2002 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG03G15/6538
- WIPO fieldOptics
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
The present invention is a chain of interchangeable control boards controlling the operation of a sequence of sorters. A first control board responds to a sort command. If a first sorter under the control of the first control board is unable to complete the sort operation, a second control board receives a related command. If the second sorter under control of the second control board is unable to complete the sort operation, a third control board receives another related command. Finally, one of the sorters in the chain completes the sort operation and a notification of the completion is carried back up the chain of control boards.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.