Method and apparatus for determining the amount of media on an elevator that supports a media stack in an image production device
AssigneeXerox Corporation
InventorsMartin E. Hoover, Douglas K. Herrmann
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method and apparatus for determining the amount of media on an elevator that supports a media stack in an image production device is disclosed. The method may include sensing one or more identification mark on a segmented positional reference scale, determining the elevator's position based on the sensed one or more identification mark, and determining an amount of media on the elevator based on the determined elevator position.
Claims18
A method for determining the amount of media on an elevator that supports a media stack in an image production device, comprising:
- sensing one or more identification mark on a segmented positional reference scale;
- determining the elevator's position based on the sensed one or more identification mark;
- and
- determining an amount of media on the elevator based on the determined elevator position,
- wherein the elevator is associated with a media stacking tray located in an output section of the image production device and the method further comprising:
- determining whether the amount of media on the elevator is above a predetermined threshold, wherein if it is determined that the amount of media on the elevator is above the predetermined threshold, communicating at least one of the amount of media on the elevator and a warning to empty the media stacking tray to a user through a user interface.
An image production device, comprising:
- a segmented positional reference scale;
- an elevator position sensor that senses one or more identification mark on the segmented positional reference scale;
- an elevator position determination unit that determines an elevator position based on the sensed one or more identification mark, and determines an amount of media on the elevator based on the determined elevator position
- a user interface;
- and
- an output section,
- wherein the elevator is associated with a media stacking tray located in the output section of the image production device and the elevator position determination unit determines whether the amount of media on the elevator is above a predetermined threshold, wherein if the elevator position determination unit determines that the amount of media on the elevator is above the predetermined threshold, the elevator position determination unit communicates at least one of the amount of media on the elevator and a warning to empty the media stacking tray to a user through a user interface.
A computer-readable medium storing instructions for determining the amount of media on an elevator that supports a media stack in an image production device, the instructions comprising:
- sensing one or more identification mark on a segmented positional reference scale;
- determining the elevator's position based on the sensed one or more identification mark;
- and
- determining an amount of media on the elevator based on the determined elevator position,
- wherein the elevator is associated with a media stacking tray located in an output section of the image production device and the instructions further comprising:
- determining whether the amount of media on the elevator is above a predetermined threshold, wherein if it is determined that the amount of media on the elevator is above the predetermined threshold, communicating at least one of the amount of media on the elevator and a warning to empty the media stacking tray to a user through a user interface.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.