Sorting a media stack using a scanning apparatus
OwnerGary Alan Kneezelinventor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A scanning apparatus includes a scan element disposed proximate a scan window; a document input holder; a document output holder; an automatic document feeder configured to move sheets of media from the document input holder past the scan window for scanning by the scan element; and a controller including: a first selectable mode that includes ordering a randomly oriented stack of recording medium provided to the automatic document feeder; and a second selectable mode that includes scanning images for information content on documents provided to the automatic document feeder.
Claims18
A scanning apparatus comprising:
- a scan element disposable proximate a scan window;
- a document input holder;
- a document output holder;
- an automatic document feeder configured to move sheets of media from the document input holder past the scan window for scanning by the scan element;
- and
- a controller including:
- a first selectable mode that includes ordering a randomly oriented stack of recording medium provided to the automatic document feeder;
- and
- a second selectable mode that includes scanning images for information content on documents provided to the automatic document feeder.
A multifunction printer comprising:
- a printing apparatus including a print media input holder;
- and
- a scanning apparatus including:
- a scan element disposed proximate a scan window;
- a document input holder;
- a document output holder;
- an automatic document feeder configured to move sheets of media from the document input holder past the scan window for scanning by the scan element;
- and
- a controller including:
- a first selectable mode that includes ordering a randomly oriented stack of recording medium provided to the automatic document feeder for loading into the print media input holder of the printing apparatus;
- and
- a second selectable mode that includes scanning images for information content on documents provided to the automatic document feeder.
A method of automatically ordering a randomly oriented stack of recording medium provided to an automatic document feeder of a scanning apparatus, the method comprising:
- (a) using the automatic document feeder to move a sheet of recording medium past a scan element of the scanning apparatus;
- (b) using the scan element to scan a first side of the sheet of recording medium to provide scan data;
- (c) analyzing the scan data to determine whether the first side of the sheet has previously been marked on;
- (d) moving the sheet to a first site in the scanning apparatus if it is determined that the first side has been previously marked on;
- and
- (e) moving the sheet to a second site in the scanning apparatus if it is determined that the first side has not been previously marked on.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.