US 5,668,938 AGranted

Control system for programming first print out time in a printing system

AssigneeXerox Corporation

InventorRonald S. Tomory

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Abstract

There is provided a technique for multi-mode printing of a job in a printing machine with a memory section communicating with a controller in which the controller determines whether the job is to be printed in a first print out time minimization mode or a job cost saving mode. In response to determining that the job is to be printed in the first print out time minimization mode, commencing production of the first print, with a print subsystem, about as soon as image data corresponding with a portion of the first print is buffered in the memory section so that the first print is delivered to the output area in a minimum amount of time; and, in response to determining that the job is to be printed in the job cost saving mode, commencing production, with the print subsystem, after image data corresponding with a selected plurality of prints has been buffered in the memory section so that cost attributable to dead cycle time in the print subsystem is minimized.

Claims23

Dependent claims

In a printing system for producing one or more sets of prints from a job including a set of image data, buffered in a first memory section, and a set of instructions for controlling the production of the one or more print sets, each of the prints in at least one of the one or more print sets being provided to an output area, a control system for controlling when production of a first print in the at least one of the one or more print sets begins and thus the rate at which the first print is provided to the output area, comprising:

a second memory section for storing a threshold printing value;
an image capture subsystem for reading a document and generating the set of image data therefrom with the set of image data including at least one image;
a third memory section for storing a cumulative captured image value which is incremented each time an image is captured by said image capture subsystem;
a job scheduler, communicating with both said second and third memory sections, for detecting when the at least one image has been captured by said image capture device;
a print subsystem, communicating with said job scheduler, for producing one or more prints from the set of buffered image data;
wherein, each time an image is captured, said job scheduler compares the cumulative captured image value stored in said third memory section with the threshold printing value stored in said second memory section, and when the cumulative captured image value is equal to or greater then the threshold printing value, said job scheduler transmits an enabling signal to said print subsystem for causing said same to commence production of the first print.

3 more elements

a second memory section for storing a threshold printing value;
a data input system for delivering the image data, on an image by image basis, to said first memory section;
a third memory section for storing a cumulative image value which is incremented each time an image is buffered in said second memory section;
a job scheduler, communicating with both said first and third memory sections, for detecting when a portion of the at least one image has been buffered in the second memory section;
a print subsystem, communicating with said job scheduler, for producing one or more prints from the set of buffered image data;
wherein, each time an image is buffered in said second memory section, said job scheduler compares the cumulative image value stored in said third memory section with the threshold printing value stored in the first memory section, and when the cumulative image value is equal to or greater than the threshold printing value, said job scheduler transmits an enabling signal to said print subsystem for causing said same to commence production of the first print.

3 more elements

In a printing system for producing one or more sets of prints from a job including a set of image data, buffered in a memory section, each set of image data being printed in either a first print out time minimization mode or a job cost saving mode and being used to control production of the one or more print sets in a print subsystem, the production being managed by a controller and each of the prints in at least one of the one or more print sets being provided to an output area, a method for controlling when production of a first print in the at least one of the one or more print sets begins and thus the rate at which the first print is provided to the output area, comprising:

a) determining, with the controller, whether the job is to be printed in the first print out time minimization mode or the job cost saving mode;
b) in response to determining, by way of said a), that the job is to be printed in the first print out time minimization mode, commencing production of the first print, with the print subsystem, about as soon as image data corresponding with a portion of the first print is buffered in the memory section so that the first print is delivered to the output area in a minimum amount of time;
and
c) in response to determining, by way of said a), that the job is to be printed in the job cost saving mode, commencing production after image data corresponding with a selected plurality of prints has been buffered in the memory section so that cost attributable to dead cycle time in the print subsystem is minimized.

1 more element

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.