Patent Grant
8379235
A method is disclosed herein that relates to multi-function devices that generate images onto media or sheets. In particular, the disclosed method relates to the use of banner sheets in multi-function device copy jobs.
Typically, multi-function devices, such as, for example, the Xerox Document Centre 230 ™ offers shared printing, copying, faxing, and scanning solutions specifically designed for the networked office. One limitation to this arrangement is that the printed hardcopy output in the shared resource is often provided in a limited number or even a single output bin. Most printers designed for resource sharing try to accommodate this problem by skewing or offsetting entire print jobs from each other. An example is in U.S. Pat. No. 5,316,279 to Corona et al. where a control system selects which standard size sheet supply tray of the printer will feed the copy sheets for a selected job set, and will automatically feed and print a cover sheet of a larger size of different orientation before or after the job set copy sheets are feed. The sheet stacker may desirably stack the copy sheets of the job sets commonly edge aligned, but so that at least one edge area of the cover sheets extends substantially from at least one edge of the stack of copy sheets of the job sets to provide an exposed printed banner strip for clear job sets segregation and separation even if the commonly stacked plural job sets of copy sheets are misaligned in subsequent handling.
Heretofore, the use of banner sheets has been relatively narrow in scope and purpose reflecting the capabilities and intended use of the shared printers. For example, one banner sheet has typically been outputted on top of each print job submitted. If multiple copies of a particular job are requested, then multiple banner sheets are also produced. Essentially, the only option available has been whether to print the banner sheet with the job, or not, and even that option is not adjustable in some instances by the user because it is pre-designed at the shared print server that spools the print job to the printer. This creates waste since the banner sheets are often discarded as soon as a print job is picked up. An aspect of this problem is addressed in U.S. Pat. No. 7,151,615 B2 to David A. Mantell, which includes a method that provides printing a print job and placing it into an output bin followed with a pause before printing a banner sheet of that print job. The banner sheet will not be printed if the print job is removed from the output bin before the pause concludes, thereby eliminating waste and expediting any subsequent printing that may follow. The entirety of the above-mentioned prior art is incorporated herein by reference.
However, there is still a need for improvement in handling copy jobs since copy and print jobs are normally output to a common tray and only print jobs have banner sheets. As is typical, multi-function devices combine print and copy output to the same tray. Therefore, a user making a copy is obliged to stay by the machine as the job completes to pick up the copies. Additionally, it is often difficult to distinguish between copy and print output, as copies are not headed by a banner sheet.
Accordingly, in answer to the above-mentioned problem, a method is disclosed that allows the creation and insertion of a banner sheet for copy jobs. This allows the user to leave the copy job in progress, safe in the knowledge that their copy will be recognized and filed along with the print jobs.
Various of the above-mentioned and further features and advantages will be apparent to those skilled in the art from the specific apparatus and its operation or methods described in the example(s) below, and the claims. Thus, they will be better understood from this description of these specific embodiment(s), including the drawing figures (which are approximately to scale) wherein:
In a preferred embodiment of the present disclosure in
Another embodiment of the present disclosure 20 that prints a banner sheet for copy jobs is shown in
In yet another embodiment of the present disclosure 40 in
It should now be known that a method has been disclosed for printing a banner sheet for multi-function device copy jobs, such as, for example, those requested by a casual user. A banner sheet is printed prior to the copy output to identify the job in a way similar to a print or facsimile job. The user is queried to determine if a banner sheet is required and for identification information prior to initiation of copying. This feature could be configurable to disable the query to determine if a banner sheet is required. Also, the system could be tied into an electronic mail address book to simplify user identification. Further, the banner could optionally be simply identified as “Local Copy” rather the requiring a user to enter his or her name.
The claims, as originally presented and as they may be amended, encompass variations, alternatives, modifications, improvements, equivalents, and substantial equivalents of the embodiments and teachings disclosed herein, including those that are presently unforeseen or unappreciated, and that, for example, may arise from applicants/patentees and others. Unless specifically recited in a claim, steps or components of claims should not be implied or imported from the specification or any other claims as to any particular order, number, position, size, shape, angle, color, or material.
| Number | Name | Date | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5316279 | Corona et al. | May 1994 | A |
| 6373588 | Fischer et al. | Apr 2002 | B1 |
| 6577907 | Czyszczewski et al. | Jun 2003 | B1 |
| 6747229 | Carlson | Jun 2004 | B2 |
| 7151615 | Mantell | Dec 2006 | B2 |
| 7839531 | Sugiyama | Nov 2010 | B2 |
| 20040156064 | Owen et al. | Aug 2004 | A1 |
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20110068532 A1 | Mar 2011 | US |
