Control method for a media transportation mechanism, and a media processing device

A control method for a media transportation mechanism having a transportation arm that can grip media stacked in a media storage unit and can move linearly, and a media detection mechanism that is positioned near the transportation arm and can detect if media is present, comprising steps of:

• lowering the transportation arm to the media storage unit;
• pausing the transportation arm when the media detection mechanism detects media;
• storing as the media height the position where the media detection mechanism stops detecting the media when the transportation arm rises;
• and
• comparing the media height with a height threshold limit, and determining a number of media remaining in the media storage unit based on a comparison of the media height with the height threshold limit.

A media processing device comprising:

• a media storage unit that stores media in a stack;
• a media processing unit that processes the media;
• a media transportation mechanism that has a media detection mechanism for detecting if media is present, and a transportation arm that can hold the media and travel linearly, and carries media from the media storage unit to the media processing unit by moving the transportation arm;
• and
• a control unit that lowers the transportation arm to the media storage unit, pauses the transportation arm when the media detection mechanism detects media, stores as the media height the position where the media detection mechanism stops detecting the media when the transportation arm rises, lowers the transportation arm again, grips the media in the media storage unit, and then raises the transportation arm, and compares the media height with a height threshold limit, and determines a number of media remaining in the media storage unit based on a comparison of the media height with the height threshold limit.

A media processing device comprising:

• a media storage unit that stores media in a stack;
• a media processing unit that processes the media;
• a media transportation mechanism that has a media detection mechanism for detecting if media is present, and a transportation arm that can hold the media and travel linearly, and carries media from the media storage unit to the media processing unit by moving the transportation arm;
• and
• a control unit that lowers the transportation arm to the media storage unit, pauses the transportation arm when the media detection mechanism detects media, stores as the media height the position where the media detection mechanism stops detecting the media when the transportation arm rises, and compares the media height with a height threshold limit and determines a number of media remaining in the media storage unit based on a comparison of the media height with the height threshold limit.