US 5,358,238 AGranted

Shared user printer output dynamic "mailbox" system

AssigneeXerox Corporation

InventorsBarry P. Mandel, David R. Kamprath

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Abstract

A dynamic "mailboxing" unit and system for separating by users the sheet outputs of various users of a shared users printer (including facsimile receivers, copiers or combination units). It provides for stacking the sheets sequentially outputted from the printer in separate job sets into one or more temporarily and variably assigned "mailboxes" of a "mailboxing" job sorting accessory unit having a number of variably assignable "mailbox" bins. It may also provide a bypass for sequentially stacking unstapled user sheets directly in a mailbox without compiling and stapling. A variable display indicates the bins into which that particular user's jobs have been placed last and not yet removed. Also disclosed is automatic overflow assignments of additional temporarily designated bins for identified users, as needed, to provide effectively unlimited or "virtual bin" plural job stacking. An integral moving sheet deflector, compiler and stapler unit is shown for collecting, compiling, and optionally stapling, and ejecting job sets of sheets for separate designated users into one or more of these discrete but variably assigned "mailboxes". The "mailboxing" unit may also have "privacy doors" locking for restricting access to at least some of the mailbox bins, with electrical door unlocking of selected bins in response to entry of a user access code, and other user features.

Claims30

Dependent claims

In a sheet output mailboxing system for selectively collecting the sheets outputted by a shared users printer in an arrayed plurality of mailbox bins of a limited sheet capacity per bin, for collecting such output sheets therein in collated printer job sets of stacked plural said output sheets per job, and with sheet feeding means for sequentially feeding said output sheets from said printer to said mailbox bins so as to be segregated by bins by respective users of said shared user printer, the improvement wherein the mailbox bins are not permanently assigned to particular users, and are variably assigned, comprising;

a variable bin selector for selectably collecting plural said collated job sets of said shared printer output sheets in a selected bin of said array of mailbox bins,
said variable bin selector providing for stacking a limited number of subsequent job sets from the same printer user on top of prior job sets in the same said selected mailbox bin,
an electronic controller for controlling said variable bin selector for repeatedly variably selecting which ones of said plurality of mailbox bins will be temporarily assigned to particular said shared printer users,
said controller collecting information as to which said mailbox bins have had job sets of another user stacked therein which have not yet been removed, in order to variably select other ones of said mailbox bins to be temporarily assigned to a particular said user,
said controller selecting which ones of said bins will be assigned to a particular user in response to repeated determinations of which said mailbox bins are currently so available for stacking job sets therein, and controlling said variable bin selector means to collect said job sets of output sheets for that particular printer user in those selected bins,
and a variable user indicator system repeatedly updated by said controller for identifying to said users which of said variably assigned mailbox bins contain job sets for a particular user wishing to remove job sets from said mailboxing system,
thereby allowing multiple users to share said printer and said mailboxing system therefor even if the number of said shared users exceeds the number of said plural mailbox bins.

4 more elements

A shared user printer mailboxing system for segregating the output of sequential sheet print jobs of various users of a shared user printer, said printer having a print server in which print jobs for particular users may be electronically identified by users and in which print server job sheet count information for specific jobs may be queued, the improvement comprising:

a multi-bin mailbox module adapted to receive the sequential printed sheets output of print jobs of said shared user printer,
said mailbox module having a sheet distributor system for distributing and stacking plural said print jobs of sequential printed sheets into variable selected said bins of said multi-bin mailbox module,
said mailbox module having an electronic controller for controlling said sheet distributor system for said variable selection of said mailbox bins into which particular print jobs of said sequential printed sheets are to directed, and for electronically storing information as to which said mailbox bins said particular print jobs have been directed, for which said shared users, and which said mailbox bins have been emptied;
said mailbox module controller being electronically connected to said shared user print server to receive said user information and said job sheet count information, and to variably so select which said mailbox bins will be used for storing said print jobs therein based on said electronically stored information in said electronic controller;
and a user bin identification display electronically connecting with said electronic controller for indicating to said shared users upon an electronic query which bins of said multi-bin mailbox contain print jobs for a particular said shared users at the time of said query.

2 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.