Conveyance control device and conveyance control method

A paper conveyor configured to convey paper ejected from an upstream first paper processing device to a downstream second paper processing device, the paper conveyor comprising:

• a paper piling area where paper ejected from the first paper processing device is piled up;
• a sensor provided in a conveyance path for conveying paper from the paper piling area to the second paper processing device, the sensor detecting that the paper has passed;
• and
• a control device,
• wherein the control device is configured to convey paper when a conveyance request signal is received, and
• wherein the control device is configured to transmit a paper passage signal when passage of the paper is detected by the sensor.

A conveyance control device for controlling a paper conveyance request timing of a paper conveyor configured to convey paper ejected from an upstream first paper processing device to a downstream second paper processing device, the conveyance control device comprising:

• a conveyance request unit configured to transmit a conveyance request signal to the paper conveyance device at a conveyance request timing corresponding to a processing cycle of the second paper processing device;
• a passage information reception unit configured to receive a paper passage signal indicating that paper has been sent from the paper conveyor;
• a determination unit configured to determine whether there is a conveyance delay based on a reception timing of the paper passage signal;
• and
• a timing correction unit configured to correct the conveyance request timing,
• wherein the conveyance request unit is configured to transmit the conveyance request signal at the conveyance request timing corresponding to the next processing cycle when it is determined that a conveyance delay has not occurred,
• wherein the conveyance request unit is configured not to transmit the conveyance request signal at the conveyance request timing corresponding to the next processing cycle when it is determined that a conveyance delay has occurred,
• wherein the timing correction unit is configured to be provided on the second paper processing device, and is configured to estimate an actual processing position of paper based on a timing when the paper has passed a paper detection position provided further upstream than a processing unit for performing processing, and
• wherein the timing correction unit is configured to correct the conveyance request timing based on a deviation amount between the estimated processing position and a preset reference processing position.

A conveyance control method for controlling a paper conveyance request timing of a paper conveyor configured to convey paper ejected from an upstream first paper processing device to a downstream second paper processing device, the method comprising:

• transmitting a conveyance request signal to the paper conveyor at a conveyance request timing corresponding to a processing cycle of the second paper processing device;
• receiving a paper passage signal indicating that paper has been sent from the paper conveyor;
• determining whether there is a conveyance delay in the paper conveyor based on a reception timing of the paper passage signal;
• and
• transmitting the conveyance request signal at the conveyance request timing corresponding to the next processing cycle when it is determined that a conveyance delay has not occurred, and not transmitting the conveyance request signal at the conveyance request timing corresponding to the next processing cycle when it is determined that a conveyance delay has occurred.