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US 2009/0154766 A1Published application
Method and apparatus for detecting malfunctioning print elements in postage meter indicia printer
AssigneePitney Bowes Inc.
InventorsDouglas B. Quine, John P. Miller
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
In a mailing machine, an image element included in a postage meter indicium printed on a mail piece is transported past a linear image capture device. The image capture device is operated to produce a smeared image of the image element. The smeared image is then automatically analyzed to detect failures in the print elements of a postage meter that is part of the mailing machine.
Claims20
A method comprising:
- transporting a mail piece along a transport path past a print head and an image capture device, the print head including a linear array of print elements, the array oriented transversely to a direction in which the mail piece is transported, the image capture device downstream from said print head along said transport path, the image capture device including a linear array of image capture elements, the array of image capture elements oriented parallel to the array of print elements, the image capture device positioned to capture an image of an indicium printed by the print head on the mail piece;
- while the mail piece is being transported past the print head, selectively operating ones of the print elements to print an image element on the mail piece;
- while the mail piece is being transported past the image capture device and before the image element reaches the image capture device, placing the image capture elements in an image capture mode;
- maintaining the image capture elements in the image capture mode until the image element has entirely passed the image capture device;
- ending the image capture mode after the image element has entirely passed the image capture device;
- and
- analyzing image signals generated by said image capture elements during said image capture mode to determine whether any of said print elements has failed.
4 more elements
A mailing machine comprising:
- a transport mechanism for transporting a mail piece along a transport path;
- a print head located adjacent the transport path for printing a postage meter indicium on the mail piece while the mail piece is transported past the print head, the print head including a linear array of print elements, the array oriented transversely to a direction in which the mail piece is transported;
- an image capture device located adjacent the transport path downstream from the print head, the image capture device including a linear array of image capture elements, the array of image capture elements oriented parallel to the array of ink jet print elements, the image capture device positioned to capture an image of the postage meter indicium printed by the print head on the mail piece;
- and
- at least one control device coupled to the transport mechanism, the print head and the image capture device, the at least one control device operative to:
- control the print head so as to selectively operate ones of the print elements to print an image element on the mail piece as part of the postage indicium;
- control the image capture device (a) such that the image capture elements are (i) placed in an image capture mode before the image element reaches the image capture device, and (ii) maintained in the image capture mode until the image element has entirely passed the image capture device, and (b) such that said image capture mode is ended after the image element has entirely passed the image capture device;
- and
- analyze image signals generated by said image capture elements during said image capture mode to determine whether any of said print elements has failed.
6 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.