Patent ID: 6327515
Filing Date: 2001-12-04
Classification: B65H,G07B

Abstract:
A method for controlling apparatus for assembly of mailpieces, the apparatus including an inserter system comprising a chassis for assembling the mailpieces, the chassis operating cyclically with successive accumulations advancing at the end of each cycle, and a document feeder for feeding accumulations of documents to the chassis, the accumulations containing varying numbers of documents, the mailpieces each including a control document, the control documents each including data for determining a unique identification code, the method comprising the steps of:a) storing a mailing control file, the mailing control file comprising a plurality of mailpiece records, each of the records including a plurality of fields, the fields containing data for controlling assembly of a mailpiece, and each of the records including one of the unique identification codes, whereby each of the records defines preparation of at least one corresponding mailpiece, the records also defining the number of documents comprised in each of the mailpieces;b) operating the document feeder at a fixed linear speed, whereby accumulations are available for input to the chassis at varying intervals substantially depending upon the number of documents in corresponding accumulations, so that there is a possibility that no accumulation will be available for particular cycles of the chassis;c) initially operating the chassis at a selected speed and periodically updating the chassis speed by;c1) determining a measure of the average number of documents to be formed into accumulations for a predetermined number of mail pieces next to be processed;c2) computing a nominal chassis speed as a function of the measure;c3) determining the difference between the nominal chassis speed and the current chassis speed;c4) if the difference is greater than a first positive value, increasing the chassis speed; andc5) if the difference is less than a first negative value, decreasing the chassis speed; andd) controlling the assembling means to prepare the corresponding mailpieces in accordance with the records.