System and method for using a printer to collate a document

A system and method are provided for using a printer to collate a document from preprinted pages. The method includes: loading document sections in at least one printer input media tray, although a plurality of document sections may be loaded into a corresponding plurality of input media trays; entering a collation program; and, creating a collated document from input media tray document sections, in response to the collation program. Entering a collation program includes: accessing a menu from a collation driver application; populating fields in the menu; and, sending collation commands to a printer collation controller in response to the populated fields. More specifically, accessing a menu from a collation driver application includes accessing a menu using a user interface (UI). The UI may be the front panel of the printer, a client device (personal computer or network-connected server) connected to the printer, or a web page connected to the printer.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

This invention generally relates to printer and copier systems and, more particularly, to a system and method for using conventional printer or copier hardware for paper document collation.

2. Description of the Related Art

FIG. 1is a depiction of an exemplary xerographic copier/printer (prior art). As noted in U.S. Pat. No. 5,665,208, there are two input paper trays21shown in paper input module22. Marking module23includes a photoreceptor drum or belt1and stations acting thereon for respectively charging2, exposing3, developing multiple colors4,5,6,7, transferring11, cleaning8and erasing9. Transferred images are fixed to the paper by passing the sheet through fusing station10. The copier/printer is adapted to provide mixed one-sided and two-sided page-sequential copy sets comprised of black and white and color images. Sheet feeding is controlled by an apparatus controller29, typically a microprocessor. Marking module23includes two registration wait gates, a first registration wait gate27and a second registration wait gate30, a transfer drum13with two registration grippers12, a two-sided copy gate14, a two-sided copy inverter15, exit inverter gates17and an exit inverter16. Productivity module24contains five intermediate sorter bins18. Output stacker module25contains two elevator stackers19and a bypass transport20.

Clean copy sheets are first fed from one of the input paper trays21aand21bto the first to registration wait gate27. The two paper trays can hold any type of copy paper. Typically, one tray holds one type of paper, such as, but not limited to standard 8½″×11″, while the other tray holds another type, such as, but not limited to, A4. At the appropriate time, the sheet is re-fed to registration gripper12awhere the sheet is gripped and transported through xerographic transfer station11where upon the transfer of a monochrome toner image from photoreceptor drum or belt1to one side of the sheet occurs. The copy sheet is mechanically registered against first registration gripper12aand held against transfer drum13by static electricity forces. If a monochrome image is desired, first registration gripper12ais released after transfer and the sheet passes into fusing station10for image fixing. Unless two-sided copying is detected by the apparatus controller29, the copy sheet is then advanced from the transfer station11to the second output port26b.For multiple revolution, multiple pass copying, the color copying process is accomplished such that the cyan, magenta, yellow, and black images are separately transferred onto a sheet of copy paper and overlaid on each other sequentially during multiple revolutions of the photoreceptor drum1at the transfer station11.

In the event a two-sided copy is desired, the sheet is transported upward into two-sided copy inverter15and re-fed to second registration wait gate30. At the appropriate time, the sheet is re-fed to first registration gripper12aor second registration gripper12b.The respective grippers are on substantially opposite diametric ends of each other. As a result of this configuration, the respective registration grippers provide the registration means for holding more than one sheet of copy paper at a time and assisting in the movement through transfer station11. Each gripper can grip, hold, and move a sheet of copy paper. When a sheet is so gripped it is gripped and transported through xerographic transfer station11one or more times where upon the transfer of a monochrome or colored toner image from photoreceptor drum or belt1to the second side of the sheet occurs. Upon complete image transfer, first registration gripper12ais released after transfer and the sheet passes into fusing station10for second side image fixing.

Exit inverter gate17can now be employed to invert the sheet if an image side up copy sheet orientation is desired. In the event exit inverter gate17is closed, the copy sheet will be deflected downward into exit inverter16and re-fed to the second output port26b.In the event the exit inverter gate17is open, the copy sheet will bypass the exit inverter16, will be inverted, and then be acquired by the second output port26bfor final exit or for transport into one or more intermediate sorter bins18and/or one or more stacker modules25.

It would be advantageous if the multiple input trays of a printer or copier could be used to accept preprinted sheets, and the printer used to collate a document using the pre-printed sheets.

It would be advantageous if the above-mentioned collating printer could also collate sheets, printed in real-time, with the preprinted sheets.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

This present invention permits a multi-tray printing device such as a copier or laser printer, to be used as a collator and/or a finisher by placing preprinted paper in the various input trays, setting tray order, and the number of pages to be pulled from each tray, to create a collated set. Further, the user may select any available finishing option for application to each collated set. For example, the number of total collated sets to be created may also be specified.

Accordingly, a method is provided for using a printer to collate a document from preprinted pages. The method comprises: loading document sections in at least one printer input media tray, although a plurality of document sections may be loaded into a corresponding plurality of input media trays; entering a collation program; and, creating a collated document from input media tray document sections, in response to the collation program.

Entering a collation program includes: accessing a menu from a collation driver application; populating fields in the menu; and, sending collation commands to a printer collation controller in response to the populated fields. More specifically, accessing a menu from a collation driver application includes accessing a menu using a user interface (UI). The UI may be the front panel of the printer, a client device (personal computer or network-connected server) connected to the printer, or a web page connected to the printer.

The collation commands may be sent as printer description language (PDL) commands, such as printer job language (PJL), printer control language (PCL), or PostScript (PS) commands. The collation program may additionally be used to select collation options such as the number of collated documents, the tray order, the number of sheets pulled in response to selecting a tray, media side selection, stapling, hole punching, and/or folding.

Additional details of the above-described method, and a collation-enabled printer for collating a document from preprinted pages, are presented below.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

FIG. 2ais a schematic block diagram of the present invention collation-enabled printer for collating a document from preprinted pages. The printer200comprises at least one input media tray having an interface to accept a document section for loading. Typically, a document is a preprinted sheet. However, “blank” document sections may be useful in some collation jobs. Shown are input tray A (202), input tray B (204), and input tray n (206). The invention is not limited to any particular number of trays. Each tray202/204/206has a respective interface (paper path)208/210/211to supply a corresponding loaded document section for collation. The input media trays202/204/206can accept either paper or plastic sheets.

As used herein, a printer is a device that generates images on a media in response to front panel or other electronic commands. A printer (as used herein) can be a laser or ink jet printer, a fax machine, a copier, or a multifunctional peripheral (MFP) device. A laser printer is used to explain the invention, although the invention is not limited to any particular image fixation process.

A media routing system210has an interface to accept media from the input media trays202/204/206and an input on line212to accept routing commands. The media routing system210has an output on line214to supply the media in an order responsive to the routing commands. Note that although line214is represented as a single line (paper path), in other aspects line214represents multiple paper paths. A collation controller216has an interface on line218to accept collation commands and an interface on line212to supply routing commands that are responsive to the collation commands. The media routing system210is represented as a switching crossbar. At least one output media tray has an interface on line (paper path)219for receiving the collated document. Shown are output tray M (220) and output tray N (222), connected on lines219aand219b,respectively. The printer200is not limited to any particular number of output trays.

Referring briefly toFIG. 1, in a simple aspect of the invention, the media routing system is similar to the sheet-feeding control apparatus29, except modified to accept the collation program, and direct the feeding of sheets in response to the collation program. In more complex aspects of the system, described below, the media routing may additionally include elements of the marking module section23, such as the inverter15.

Returning toFIG. 2a,the printer200may further comprise a collation driver application. The collation driver application is a software program. That is, the collation driver application is a list of microprocessor instructions. In one aspect, the collation driver application240is manipulated from a memory242. Also shown is a user interface (UI)244. Typically, a user interface includes a display or readout for presenting user prompts, as well as a mouse, keyboard, keypad, or the like for accepting input commands from a user. More specifically, the UI244accesses a collation menu from the collation driver application240and populates fields in the menu in response to user commands. In response to the collation menu, the collation driver application240supplies collation commands to the collation controller216.

In one aspect, the UI244is the printer front panel246. In another aspect, the UI is associated with a connected client device250, which may be either locally or network-connected (through a server, not shown) to the printer200on line252. If the collation driver application240is embedded with the printer200, and the UI244resides with the client250, then the UI interface prompts and responses (commands) are relayed between the printer200and the client250on line252.

FIG. 2bis an aspect of the printer ofFIG. 2ashowing alternate collation driver application residencies. If the collation driver application240and UI244are embedded with the client250, then the client250sends collation commands to the collation controller216on line252.

In another aspect, the UI is associated with a connected web page260. In the case of the web page, the UI244may be considered to a combination of a client browser262that is network-connected to the web page on line264. The collation driver application240may be embedded in the web page260(as shown), in which case the web page260sends collation commands to the collation controller216on line266. Alternately, the collation driver application240is embedded in the printer200(seeFIG. 2a), and web page merely relays UI prompts and response between the client browser262and the printer200. In another aspect, not shown, the collation driver application240resides in a printer-connected server.

With respect to eitherFIG. 2aor2b,the collation controller216may receive collation commands in a printer description language (PDL) format, such as printer job language (PJL), printer control language (PCL), or PostScript (PS) commands.

FIG. 3is an exemplary collation menu, as might be used with the present invention collation driver application. As shown, the menu can be used to identify a printer. In this example an IP address is used for identification. The menu can also be used to select the order of the input trays, the number of pages pulled, the total number of collation sets, and other finishing options such as stapling. That is, the collation driver application presents collation menu options chosen from the group including the number of collated documents, the tray order, the number of sheets pulled in response to selecting a tray, and media side. The media side option is analogous to duplex printing, permitting the user to “flip” the media in the input trays in the course of creating a collation job. Other selectable options include stapling, hole punching, and folding. The options available are dependent upon printer capabilities. In one aspect, the collation driver application is a module in a collation-enabled print driver. For example, the collation driver application may be sub-menu in a Windows-type print driver.

Returning toFIG. 2a,the printer200also comprises a print subsystem270having an input to receive media delivered from the input media and an input on line272to receive print commands. The print subsystem270typically includes a fuser (not shown), assuming a laser printer, for transferring images to the input media in response to the print commands and supplying the imaged media at an output on line (paper path)276for delivery to the output media tray. In one aspect of the printer200, the collation controller216has an output on line272to supply print commands that selectively disengage the print subsystem fuser. In this manner, the heating element of the fuser can be turned off when preprinted sheets (a document section) are passed through the print subsystem270.

Alternately, a bypass280paper path is shown. The bypass280operates to direct document sections (preprinted sheets) around the print subsystem270. Advantageously, the bypass280permits the printer200be used to collate with a minimum of print subsystem270modifications. However, the bypass280is a hardware subsystem that is not used in conventional printers.

In another aspect of the printer200, documents sections from the input tray can be merged with printed media, or sheets that the print subsystem270is creating in real-time, to form a collated document. The sheets created by the print subsystem270may be either a print or a copy job. That is, the collation controller216sends routing commands to the media routing system210to collate document sections from the input media trays202/204/206with imaged media generated by the print subsystem270. In this aspect, the media routing system210may incorporate elements of the print subsystem270, such as document inverters useful in duplex or color printing, to aid in controlling the document order. The print subsystem inversion hardware may be represented by the media routing system210shown in phantom with dotted lines, subsequent to the print subsystem270. Such as arrangement may improve efficiency by permitting the printer to print a plurality of sheets, stockpile the sheets, and insert the sheets in the paper path through the print subsystem270when appropriate. This arrangement may also be used to enable to media side selection option, mentioned above.

In this aspect, conventional printer hardware modifications may be desirable to augment the printer's ability to stockpile the real-time printed media. For simplicity a stockpilier assembly278is shown associated with a part of the media routing system210(formed in phantom with dotted lines) subsequent to the print subsystem270.

Alternately, the media routing system210skips the delivery of preprinted sheets to the print subsystem270, and supplies blank media when a (real-time) printed sheets is to be merged with the document sections loaded in the input trays.

In another aspect, the output media tray, output tray M (220) for example, accepts a collated document as the result of a first collation job and acts an input tray to supply the collated document via paper path290as a document section for a second, subsequent, collation job. In a variation of this aspect, the above-mentioned stockpilier assembly278acts as a type on internal output tray that permits a first compilation to be merged with other document sections to form a second compilation.

FUNCTION DESCRIPTION

The present invention is a utility that permits a user to configure a job that makes use of all the collation features available in a printer, without using the imaging features. The invention can be enabled as a personal computer (PC) based application that uses PJL, PCL, and PS to generate dummy jobs, so that preprinted stock that is loaded in the printer can be collated, stapled or otherwise “finished” using whichever finishing options are available in the printer.1—This feature may be configured and initiated using software from a client PC.2—Collation Jobs configured at the client computer can be set to remain resident in the printer's internal queue and, thereby, initiated from the control panel once or more times.3—This function can also be programmed internally on the printer to so that it can be configured on the control panel of the device without requiring a connected client computer.4—This function can also be programmed on the printer's internal web page so that it can be configured without requiring special software on a client PC.5—The initiating job can be saved as a .prn file or a proprietary file format and recalled for use as a template or to repeat a collation/finisher routine at a later time.

FIG. 4is a flowchart illustrating the present invention method for using a printer to collate a document from preprinted pages. Although the method is depicted as a sequence of numbered steps for clarity, no order should be inferred from the numbering unless explicitly stated. It should be understood that some of these steps may be skipped, performed in parallel, or performed without the requirement of maintaining a strict order of sequence. The method starts at Step400.

Step402loads document sections in at least one printer input media tray. Typically, Step402includes loading a plurality of document sections into a corresponding plurality of input media trays. However, only a single input tray is needed if the loaded document section is merged with printed (real-time) document sections. In one aspect Step402includes loading either paper and/or plastic sheet mediums. Step404enters a collation program. Step406creates a collated document from input media tray document sections, in response to the collation program.

In one aspect of the method, entering a collation program in Step404includes substeps. Step404aaccesses a menu from a collation driver application. Step404bpopulates fields in the menu. Step404csends collation commands to a printer collation controller in response to the populated fields. Alternately, Step404aaccesses a menu from a collation-enabled print driver. Step404bpopulates fields in the menu. Step404c sends print driver commands to a printer controller.

In one aspect, accessing a menu from a collation driver application (Step404a) includes accessing a menu using a user interface (UI) selected from either the front panel of the printer, a client device connected to the printer, or a web page connected to the printer.

In another aspect, sending collation commands to a collation controller (Step404c) includes sending the collation commands in a printer description language (PDL) command format such as PJL, PCL, or PS commands.

One aspect of the method comprises a further step. Step405adisengages a print subsystem fuser. Then, creating a collated document in Step406includes routing document sections from the input media tray, through the disengaged fuser.

In a different aspect, Step405bcreates at least one document section in response to either a printing or copying selection. Then, Step406creates a collated document by combining document sections from the input media tray with the document section created in Step405b.

In another aspect, entering a collation program in Step404additionally includes selecting collation options chosen from the group including the number of collated documents, the tray order, the number of sheets pulled in response to selecting a tray, the media side selection, stapling, hole punching, and/or folding. Then, creating a collated document in Step406includes created a collated document responsive to the selected options.

Another aspect includes the additional step, Step401, of precollating a document section with a plurality of different pages. Then, loading document sections in at least one input media tray (Step402) includes loading the precollated document section. Note that the precollated document section may be a collated document that is a product of Step406. That is, creating a collated document from input media tray document sections in Step406includes creating the precollated document section. Such an option is especially useful for extremely complicated collation jobs or for use with printers having a limited number of input trays.

A printer collating system and method have been provided. Examples have been given of particular uses, menus, and hardware modifications. However, the invention is not necessarily limited to just these examples. Other variations and embodiments of the invention will occur to those skilled in the art.