Protection system for electrostatographic machines
AssigneeXerox Corporation
InventorEdward Steiner
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An electrostatographic type copying or reproduction machine incorporating a programmable controller to operate the various machine components in an integrated manner to produce copies. The controller carries a master program bearing machine operating parameters from which an operating program for the specific copy run desired is formed and used to operate the machine components to produce the copies programmed. A multiple prioritized interrupt system is employed to distribute the operating program to the machine. In particular, upon periodic interruption, control data is output (refreshed) to the various machine components and failure to refresh within a preset interval inhibits machine operation.
Claims16
In a reproduction machine for producing impressions of an original, the reproduction machine having a photosensitive member and plural discrete operating components cooperable with one another and the photosensitive member to electrostatically produce impressions on a support material, the combination of:
- a controller for operating said machine components in accordance with a program whereby to produce the impressions desired,
- said program being comprised of both background machine control routines and foreground machine control routines;
- interrupt means to temporarily interrupt the machine control routine in progress to refresh control data outputted to said machine components;
- and
- control means effective within a preset interval in relation to said refresh to stop said machine.
In a reproduction machine for producing impressions of an original, the reproduction machine having a machine clock, a photosensitive member, and plural discrete operating components to electrostatically produce the impressions on a support material, the combination of:
- a shift register;
- a timer electrically connected to the shift register, the timer and the shift register associated with one of the operating components of the reproduction machine;
- a microprocessor;
- address and data buses controlled by the microprocessor;
- a random access memory having an output buffer containing data;
- an interface electrically connecting the microprocessor, the address and data buses, and the random access memory to the reproduction machine, the interface having a priority and storage means responsive to periodic signals from the machine clock for generating a predetermined signal;
- a latch responsive to the predetermined signal for initiating a predetermined code;
- a refresh signal generator responsive to the predetermined code to initiate transfer of control of the address and data buses to the interface, the interface periodically inputting the data of the output buffer into the shift register,
- the signal generator providing a signal for activating the timer to set a time period for inputting of the data into the shift register.
In a reproduction machine for producing impressions of an original, the reproduction machine having a photosensitive member and plural discrete operating components cooperable with one another to electrostatically produce the impressions on a support material, the combination of:
- a controller;
- address and data buses;
- a memory, the memory containing data relating to the operating components of the reproduction machine;
- the address and data buses electrically connecting the controller and the memory with the reproduction machine;
- data refresh means electrically connected to the memory for inputting the data contained in the memory to the operating components, the data comprising either a new instruction or a repetition of an old instruction for the operating components of the reproduction machine;
- and
- means for periodically actuating the data refresh means for inputting the new and old instructions to the operating components.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.