# US 10,308,047 B1 · Printer and method of loading papers into printer tray > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,308,047 B1 - Document ID: US10308047B1 - Status: Granted - Kind: B1 - Application number: 16/100,340 - Filed: 2018-08-10 - Granted: 2019-06-04 - Earliest claimed: 2018-08-10 - Assignees: KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc. - Applicants: KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc. - Inventors: Hui Wang; Neil-Paul Payoyo Bermundo; Philip Ver Paloma Dabon - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10308047B1 ## CPC - B41J 11/0075: {Low-paper indication, i.e. indicating the state when copy material has been used up nearly or completely} - B41J 13/103: {for the sheet feeding section} - B64D 1/08: the articles being load-carrying devices - B65H 1/00: Supports or magazines for piles from which articles are to be separated (carriers used for associating, collating, or gathering articles B65H39/00) - B65H 7/04: responsive to absence of articles, e.g. exhaustion of pile (B65H7/14 takes precedence) - B65H 7/20: Controlling associated apparatus - G06K 15/02: using printers - G06K 15/16: Means for paper feeding or form feeding - G06K 15/4065: {Managing print media, e.g. determining available sheet sizes (feeding means G06K15/16)} - H04N 1/0032: {with a medium handling apparatus, e.g. a sheet sorter (handling thin or filamentary material, e.g. sheets B65H)} - H04N 1/00334: {with an apparatus processing barcodes or the like (arrangements for sensing record carriers G06K7/00)} - B64U 2101/64: for parcel delivery or retrieval - B65H 2301/42242: by acting on the outermost articles of the pile for clamping the pile - B65H 2301/42262: by acting on surface of outermost articles of the pile, e.g. in nip between pair of belts or rollers - B65H 2511/30: Numbers, e.g. of windings or rotations - B65H 2511/414: of mode of operation - B41J: TYPEWRITERS; SELECTIVE PRINTING MECHANISMS, i.e. MECHANISMS PRINTING OTHERWISE THAN FROM A FORME; CORRECTION OF TYPOGRAPHICAL ERRORS - B64D: EQUIPMENT FOR FITTING IN OR TO AIRCRAFT; FLIGHT SUITS; PARACHUTES; ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF POWER PLANTS OR PROPULSION TRANSMISSIONS IN AIRCRAFT - B65H: HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL, e.g. SHEETS, WEBS, CABLES - G06K: GRAPHICAL DATA READING (image or video recognition or understanding G06V); PRESENTATION OF DATA; RECORD CARRIERS; HANDLING RECORD CARRIERS - H04N: PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION - B64U: UNMANNED AERIAL VEHICLES [UAV]; EQUIPMENT THEREFOR ## Abstract The present disclosure relates to a printer and a method of loading one or more papers into printer tray. In an aspect, the proposed printer can include a printer tray configured to hold a plurality of papers to be used for printing; and a paper sensor configured to sense when number of papers in the printer tray is below a defined threshold, such that when the number of papers in the printer tray is below the defined threshold, the paper sensor issues a notification message to a drone that in turn is configured to, based on the received notification message, pick up and carry one or more papers from a paper storage shelf and load the picked up one or more papers into the printer tray. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A printer comprising: a printer tray configured to hold a plurality of papers to be used for printing; and a paper sensor configured to sense when number of papers in said printer tray is below a defined threshold, such that when the number of papers in said printer tray is below the defined threshold, the paper sensor issues a notification message to a drone that in turn is configured to, based on said received notification message, pick up and carry one or more papers from a paper storage shelf and load said picked up one or more papers into said printer tray. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The printer of claim 1, wherein said drone senses said location of printer tray through a tray location sensor that is configured in the printer. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The printer of claim 1, wherein said notification message indicates paper size to be loaded, based on which said drone detects and picks up said one or more papers of said indicated paper size. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The printer of claim 3, wherein said paper size is indicated through a barcode that is read by said drone to detect which of one or more stacks of papers present on the paper storage shelf corresponds to the indicated paper size. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The printer of claim 1, wherein said notification message indicates number of papers to be loaded on to said printer tray based on which said drone detects and picks up said one or more papers. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The printer of claim 1, wherein said notification message indicates height of said printer tray, based on which said drone detects and picks up said one or more papers. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The printer of claim 1, wherein said paper sensor detects arrival of said drone, and ejects said printer tray for loading of said one or more papers based on such detection. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The printer of claim 1, wherein said drone comprises a flying management module (FMM) configured to enable said drone to perform any or a combination of flying, aerial maneuvering, charging, reloading of tools, and homing. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The printer of claim 1, wherein said drone comprises of any or a combination of a gyro sensor, a GPS sensor, an altitude sensor, and a focusing laser. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The printer of claim 1, wherein said drone comprises of a plurality of arms to pick up and carry said one or more papers. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The printer of claim 1, wherein said drone comprises a camera to detect an appropriate stack on said paper storage shelf from which said one or more papers are to be picked up. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The printer of claim 11, wherein said camera is further used for any or a combination of locating said printer, locating printer tray of said printer, determining paper size, and counting said one or more papers. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The printer of claim 1, wherein said drone comprises a barcode reader that is configured to read barcodes printed on a plurality of stack of papers, and detect at least one desired stack for picking up said one or more papers based on said read barcode information. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The printer of claim 1, wherein said printer further comprises a tray location sensor configured to communicate with and enable said drone to find said location of said printer tray. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) The printer of claim 1, wherein said notification message comprises any or a combination of type of paper to be loaded, size of paper to be loaded, number of papers to be loaded, height of said printer tray, and paper stack height. ### Claim 16 (depends on 1) The printer of claim 1, wherein said printer further comprises a tray control sensor configured to automatically control ejection and closing of said printer tray based on arrival or departure of said drone. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The printer of claim 16, wherein said loaded one or more papers are aligned before said printer tray is closed. ### Claim 18 (depends on 1) The printer of claim 1, wherein said printer issues an audio notification or a visual notification on the printer display before ejection of said printer tray. ### Claim 19 (depends on 1) The printer of claim 1, wherein the paper storage shelf comprises an information tracking device for determining paper stack height on the shelf and re-order when the height is lesser than a second defined threshold. ### Claim 20 (depends on 1) The printer of claim 1, wherein the paper storage shelf comprises information pertaining to any or a combination of a shelf identifier, storage paper types, and paper filling and fetching information. ### Claim 21 (depends on 1) The printer of claim 1, wherein the drone comprises a limb system that further comprises one or more robotic arms that grab/drop paper such that when the drone arrives at the paper storage shelf, said drone lifts both left and right arms to pull the paper out with needed thickness of paper. ### Claim 22 (depends on 21) The printer of claim 21, wherein the drone determines position of desired paper stack on the shelf using a barcode reader, and lifts both arms to pull the paper in a correct position monitored by a video system, wherein a paper feeding stack control sensor that is configured in the drone checks the paper stack height to confirm execution of paper fetching process such that after the paper is lifted, said drone is informed about a completion of the pulling paper, based on which said drone carries the paper to the printer. ### Claim 23 (depends on 1) The printer of claim 1, wherein the printer further comprises an automatic cassette control device configured in or as part of a printer firmware, and configured to automatically eject and close printer tray to receive the paper. ### Claim 24 A drone configured to receive a notification message from a printer, said printer comprising a printer tray configured to hold a plurality of papers to be used for printing; and a paper sensor configured to sense when number of papers in said printer tray is below a defined threshold, such that when the number of papers in said printer tray is below the defined threshold, the paper sensor issues said notification message to said drone, said drone being in turn configured to, based on said received notification message, pick up and carry one or more papers from a paper storage shelf and load said picked up one or more papers into said printer tray. ### Claim 25 A method for loading one or more papers into a printer tray of a printer, said method comprising the steps of: sensing, through a paper sensor configured in said printer, when number of papers in said printer tray is below a defined threshold; issuing, using said paper sensor, a notification message to a drone when the number of papers in said printer tray is below the defined threshold; enabling said drone to, based on said received notification message, pick up and carry one or more papers from a paper storage shelf, and load said picked up one or more papers into said printer tray. ### Claim 26 (depends on 25) The method of claim 25, wherein said notification message indicates paper size to be loaded, based on which said drone detects and picks up said one or more papers of said indicated paper size. ### Claim 27 (depends on 25) The method of claim 25, wherein said notification message indicates number of papers to be loaded on to said printer tray based on which said drone detects and picks up said one or more papers. ### Claim 28 (depends on 25) The method of claim 25, wherein said notification message indicates height of said printer tray, based on which said drone detects and picks up said one or more papers.