# US 2013/0155433 A1 · Printing on a randomly ordered stack of media

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- Number: US 2013/0155433 A1
- Document ID: US20130155433A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 13/327,809
- Filed: 2011-12-16
- Published: 2013-06-20
- Earliest claimed: 2011-12-16
- Inventors: Chen Quan
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20130155433A1

## CPC

- H04N 1/23: Reproducing arrangements
- H04N: PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION

## Abstract

A printing apparatus includes a print media input holder; a print region; at least one media transport element for moving sheets of recording medium from the print media input holder to the print region; and a scan element disposed along a printing path; and a controller including: a first selectable printing mode that includes: using the scan element to determine whether a first side of a sheet of recording medium has marks on it; and printing on the first side of the sheet if it is determined that the first side does not have marks on it; and a second selectable printing mode that does not include determining whether the sheet of recording medium has marks on it.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method of printing on a sheet of recording medium included in a randomly oriented stack of recording media provided to a printing apparatus, the method comprising:
(a) using a scanning element disposed in a printing path of the printing apparatus to scan a first side of the sheet of recording medium to provide scan data;
(b) analyzing the scan data to determine whether the first side has previously been marked on; and
(c) printing on the first side of the sheet if the analyzed scan data determines that the first side has not previously been marked on; or
(d) printing on a second side of the sheet of recording medium if the analyzed scan data determines that the first side has previously been marked on.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1 wherein if the analyzed scan data determines that the first side has previously been printed on, the sheet of recording medium is turned over prior to step (d).

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1, the printing apparatus including a duplexing unit, wherein turning the sheet of recording medium over further includes passing the sheet of recording medium through the duplexing unit.

### Claim 4 (depends on 2)

The method according to claim 2, wherein printing on the second side of the sheet occurs immediately after passing the sheet of recording medium through the duplexing unit.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1, wherein analyzing the scan data includes comparing the scan data to a predetermined threshold.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1 further including recognizing that a media scan mode has been selected.

### Claim 7

A printing apparatus comprising:
a print media input holder;
a print region;
at least one media transport element for moving sheets of recording medium from the print media input holder to the print region; and
a scan element disposed along a printing path; and
a controller including:
a first selectable printing mode that includes:
using the scan element to determine whether a first side of a sheet of recording medium has marks on it; and
printing on the first side of the sheet if it is determined that the first side does not have marks on it; and
a second selectable printing mode that does not include determining whether the sheet of recording medium has marks on it.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The printing apparatus of claim 7 further comprising a printhead.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The printing apparatus of claim 8 further comprising a carriage configured to carry the printhead across the print region.

### Claim 10 (depends on 8)

The printing apparatus of claim 8, wherein the printhead is an inkjet printhead.

### Claim 11 (depends on 7)

The printing apparatus of claim 7, wherein the scan element is disposed proximate the print media input holder.

### Claim 12 (depends on 7)

The printing apparatus of claim 7, wherein the scan element is disposed proximate the print region.

### Claim 13 (depends on 7)

The printing apparatus of claim 7, wherein the scan element is mounted in a fixed position.

### Claim 14 (depends on 7)

The printing apparatus of claim 7, wherein the scan element is configured to be movable across the printing path.

### Claim 15 (depends on 7)

The printing apparatus of claim 7 further comprising a duplexing unit.