Abstract:
A method for detecting a type of one of plurality of devices attached to a graphics machine, each device being one of at least a first type and a second type, the method comprising detecting at a controller the type of device attached to or to be attached to the machine. The controller is capable of preadjusting the device or machine as a function of the detection A graphics machine includes a controller, a first device connected to the controller, the first device being categorizable as one of at least a first type and a second type, the controller detecting the type of the first device, and a memory accessible by the controller, the memory storing information regarding the first type and the second type.

Description:
[0001]    This claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60/453,356, filed Mar. 10, 2003 and hereby incorporated by reference herein. 
     
    
     
       BACKGROUND INFORMATION  
         [0002]    The present invention relates to a device and method for identifying modules used in graphics industry machines, such as folders, gatherers, printing presses and stitchers.  
           [0003]    U.S. Pat. No. 6,166,653 discloses a system for address initialization of generic nodes in a distributed command and control system for a transportation system and a related method. A distance is determined from the control unit to each node and a specific address is assigned to the node based on the relative location of the node.  
         BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0004]    An object of the present invention is to permit the identification of different devices attached to a graphics machine. “Graphics machine” as defined herein includes any machine used in the graphical industry.  
           [0005]    The present invention provides a method for detecting a type of one of plurality of devices attached to a graphics machine, each device being one of at least a first type and a second type, the method comprising: detecting at a controller the type of device attached, to or to be attached, to the machine. The controller can pre-adjust the device or controller as a function of the detection.  
           [0006]    Preferably, the device includes a type identifier, and an identifier reader can be connected to the controller.  
           [0007]    Preferably, the controller sends a control signal to the device as a function of the detection.  
           [0008]    Preferably, the devices can be added or removed and replaced with other devices, i.e. the devices are modules. These modules may be for example hoppers (feeders) for a binding line, such as a saddle back or flatback binding line. These feeders may be for example of different types: horizontal feeders, vertical feeders, cover folder feeders, card feeders, CD inserters, gluepots, numbering units, or print pockets. Other examples of graphics machines are a printing press, a stacker, a trimmer, or a folder. For example, for a printing press a cloth-type blanket washer or brush-type blanket washer could be identified, and thus the controller could identify the type of blanket washer and control that washer accordingly. A type of ink fountain feeder could be identified as well, for example an anilox inker. For a folder, different types of cutoff controls or silicon applicators could be identified.  
           [0009]    The machine preferably may run a self-test check upon each turn-on of the machine to determine which devices are connected to the machine.  
           [0010]    The present invention also provides a graphics machine comprising: a controller; a first device connected to the controller, the first device being categorizable as one of at least a first type and a second type, the controller detecting the type of the first device; and a memory accessible by the controller, the memory storing information regarding the first type and the second type.  
           [0011]    Preferably, the first device includes a type identifier, and the machine further comprises an identifier reader connected to the controller.  
           [0012]    The controller preferably is capable of automatically adjusting the first device as a function of the information.  
           [0013]    Preferably, the information is stored as a table.  
           [0014]    The first device may be connected to the controller via an electrical plug, a fixed transmission line or a wireless connection.  
           [0015]    Preferably, the graphics machine includes a second device connected to the controller, the second device being one of the first type and the second type.  
           [0016]    The first device preferably is modular, i.e. the first device is removably connected to the controller and replaceable by another device which is one of the first type and the second type. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0017]    The present invention is described with reference to the following figures, in which:  
         [0018]    [0018]FIG. 1 shows a saddle-back bindery having various modules detected by a controller according to the present invention;  
         [0019]    [0019]FIG. 2 shows a plug connection for permitting identification of the device type;  
         [0020]    [0020]FIG. 3 shows an end view of the plug connection of FIG. 2;  
         [0021]    [0021]FIG. 4 shows an alternate plug connection;  
         [0022]    [0022]FIG. 5 shows yet another alternate plug connection;  
         [0023]    [0023]FIG. 6 shows an alternate embodiment with the device having a voltage source; and  
         [0024]    [0024]FIG. 7 shows a digital signal generated in another embodiment of the present invention. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       [0025]    [0025]FIG. 1 shows a saddle back conveyor line  10  for collecting printed products, which are then stitched by a stitching device  20 . At predefined locations or stations along the conveyor line  10  are feeder modules, which as shown are a vertical feeder  12 , a horizontal feeder  14 , a card inserter  16  and another vertical feeder  18 . These feeder modules feed their respective products to the conveyor line  10  to form a collected printed product  30  which is then stitched by saddle back stitching device  20  to form a finished product  32 . While the line has been described with four stations, many more stations may be provided and other types of modules may be included, such as glue pots, numbering units, CD inserters, cover folder feeders, print pockets, blown-in card feeders; hopper loaders, onset feeders, and stackers and trimmers, which would come after the stitching device.  
         [0026]    These modules are interchangeable along the line, so that for example card inserter  16  and horizontal feeder  14  might need to be switched for a new printed product configuration.  
         [0027]    Each module  12 ,  14 ,  16 ,  18  contains a type identifier  41 ,  42 ,  43 ,  44 , respectively to identify the type of module. An identifier reader  51 ,  52 ,  53 ,  54  can determine, in conjunction for example with a processor  60  and a memory  61 , the type provided by identifier  41 ,  42 ,  43 ,  44 , respectively. Each reader  51 ,  52 ,  53 ,  54  is connected by an input  71 ,  72 ,  73 ,  74 , respectively, to the processor  60 , for example by a data bus.  
         [0028]    As shown in FIG. 2, type identifier  41  may be a plug with a configuration unique to the type of device, for example a vertical feeder or hopper  12 . As shown in FIG. 3, plug  41  may have four pins,  140 ,  141 ,  142 ,  143 , with pin  140  providing power from reader  51 . Reader  51  provides power to pin  140  at a certain voltage and reads the voltage at each of the other pins  141 ,  142 ,  143 . Connection from pin  140  to pins  141 ,  142  and/or  143  in identifier  41  is provided via a connection  144  during a manufacturing of the type identifier  41 .  
         [0029]    If reader  51  registers a voltage solely at pin  141 , the reader  51 , which has a D-A converter can send a three-bit digital signal  001  to the processor  60 . A table stored in memory  61  can identify 001 as a vertical feeder. The processor  60  then automatically may undertake control steps, for example altering characteristics of a graphical user interface or altering other devices on line  10 , or of stitching device  20  as a function of the type of device at the first location on the line  10 .  
         [0030]    With the four pin configuration of identifier  41 , eight different types may be identified. No power read at pins  141 ,  142  and  143  could identify a horizontal feeder and lead to a 000 output byte, power at pin  141  only a vertical feeder with a 001 output, at pin  142  only a card inserter and a 010 output, at pin  143  only a CD inserter and a 011 output, power at pins  141  and  142  only print pocket inserter and a 100 output, power at pins  141 , and  143  only a numbering unit and a 101 output, power at pins  142  and  143  only a gluepot and a 110 output and power at all three pins a blown in card feeder and a 111 output.  
         [0031]    Thus memory  61  can contain a database such as a table, with 000 identifying a horizontal feeder, 001 a vertical feeder and so on. Processor  60 , which receives the bytes from the readers  51 ,  52 ,  53 ,  54  at known inputs  71 ,  72 ,  73 ,  74  thus knows exactly which type of device is at which location on the line  10 .  
         [0032]    Alternately, the reader could provide direct inputs from the pins  141 ,  142 ,  143  to the processor  60 , with an A-D converter for each pin merely providing a zero or one depending on power at the pin and the processor  60  processing the data from each pin  141 ,  143 ,  143  directly. In other words, part of the reader  51  functions may be accomplished by the processor  60  and the processor  60  can sense the presence or absence of power on each pin  141 ,  142 ,  143 .  
         [0033]    It should be noted that additional pins or fewer pins may be used, and the pins may be used for other functions as long as the use does not interfere with the identification process.  
         [0034]    [0034]FIG. 4 shows an alternate type identifier  151  where a pin  151  may be used to provide a control signal or power the module via a cable  156 . A reader  153  provides a certain voltage or current at a pin  153 , with current flowing through a resistor  155 . A voltage or current then is read at a pin  154  by the reader, this read voltage or current being a function of the resistance of the resistor. The reader or processor can convert this read voltage or current through an A-D converter into a unique digital signal, which via information stored in memory  61 . Thus for example a plug with a 1000 ohm resistor can identify one type of device, and a plug with a 10K resistor another type of device. A large number of types thus can be identified using different resistance resistors depending on the sensitivity and accuracy of the A-D converter.  
         [0035]    [0035]FIG. 5 shows the same type identifier as in FIG. 4, without the extra pin  152 . In this embodiment, the type identifier need not be connected electrically to the module, and may simple be attached by a chain  157 , for example.  
         [0036]    However, pin  152  may be advantageous for example to send a control signal back to the module, for example to preadjust the module depending on the type of module connected on line  10 .  
         [0037]    Controller  60  also can perform a self test at each start up of the line  10  to identify the components on line  10 .  
         [0038]    [0038]FIG. 6 shows an alternate embodiment in which the module  12  has a voltage source  112  connected to a type identifier  141 . The voltage source  112  provides a unique voltage depending on the type of module  12  to a pin at identifier  241 . The voltage which is read by reader  251  and sent to processor  60 . For example 5 volts could indicate a vertical hopper, while 10 volts indicates a horizontal hopper, and this information is stored in memory  61 . The number of types of modules which then can be uniquely identified is a function of the range of voltage and sensitivity of an A-D converter.  
         [0039]    [0039]FIG. 7 shows yet another alternate embodiment in which the type identifier provides a unique digital signal, provided via a plug with a pin for the signal and one for ground and one for power, if the module does not provide power. The signal may be sent to each digital input of the processor  60 . For example, the signal may be provided continuously to the processor  60 , so that presence of the module on line  10  is always recognized, and also accidental removal of the module  10  can also be recognized.  
         [0040]    [0040]FIG. 7 shows an example of a 2 second signal sent by a chip provided at the module  12 . A start bit is provided for the first continuous 400 milliseconds to identify the start of the signal, and then 8 data bits are sent, thus providing for an eight byte word capable of identifying 255 unique types of modules. The bits are of 100 millisecond duration followed by a 100 millisecond space. The signal may be a 24dc volt signal, with 24 volts indicating an on and zero or less than a certain voltage below 24 volts indicating volts an off.  
         [0041]    Additional bytes could be provided to identify the location of the module on the line, if each location did not provide a unique input to the controller or processor  60 , and thus a multiplexed signal could be provided to a single input at processor  60 .  
         [0042]    The value of the byte would be used via a table in memory  61  to identify the type of module.  
         [0043]    It should be noted that based on the type, the value of pile overload switches, sensors, or inhibit selective modes may be identified or controlled by controller  60 , and all of this information may be stored in memory  61 .  
         [0044]    The type identifier alternately may include a timer chip which would supply a digital signal of unique time duration based on the type of module. The timer ship thus has a clock pulse combined with a counting circuit. The duration of the digital signal may then be identified by processor  60  to determine the type of device. For example, a duration of 200 milliseconds could identify a vertical hopper and a duration of 400 milliseconds a horizontal hopper.  
         [0045]    The type identifier alternately may be a tag read by an inductive field as the module is mounted on the machine. Such a device is manufactured for example by Pepperl and Fuchs (www.pepperl-fuchs.com) and consists of a read-write head and tags. The tags are powered up as they pass the read-write head of the reader and send back up to 1 k bytes of data. The tags also can be written to by the read-write head to provide the type identification.  
         [0046]    The present invention thus allows proper machine control of the modules, and proper motion control. The method of the present invention permits the controller to deterministically identify the presence and type of a particular module. Controller  60  may be an Intel-based processor for example or a PLC.