Apparatus and method for ensuring good print quality in a mail handling system including a fixed printhead/moving mailpiece subsystem
US6004048A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | May 18, 1998 |
| Grant date | Dec 21, 1999 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | May 18, 2018 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG07B2017/00637
- WIPO fieldControl
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
A mail handling system includes a printhead for printing a postage indicium on a mailpiece; a transport mechanism that moves the mailpiece past the printhead during printing of the postage indicium; a postage meter including means for accounting for a value of postage associated with the postage indicium; an image generator in operative communication with the postage meter, the image generator producing a synchronous image data stream for use by the printhead in printing the postage indicium; a buffer which receives and stores the synchronous image data stream from the image generator; apparatus for switching the image generator between an ON status whereby the image generator produces the synchronous image data stream and an OFF status whereby the image generator does not produce the synchronous image data stream based upon the occurrence of a predetermined condition; structure for transferring the stored synchronous image data stream to the printhead in an asynchronous manner; and wherein the switching apparatus regulates within a predetermined range an amount of the synchronous image data stream stored in the buffer by switching the image generator between the ON status and the …
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.