Abstract:
A method for arranging a control unit for controlling the assembly of mail pieces. The control unit is communicatively linked to a device for performing at least one operation for assembling mail pieces. The device transmits control code specific for the control of that device to the control unit. This control code is then installed on the control unit. Also described are a device and a combination of a device with program code, both specifically adapted for practicing the proposed method.

Description:
FIELD AND BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0001]    The invention relates to a system for arranging a control unit for controlling the assembly of mail pieces. The invention further relates to a device for use with that method, and to a combination of such a device with computer software.  
           [0002]    In the field of peripheral equipment for personal computers, it is known that peripheral equipment connected to a personal computer is detected and recognized. In response thereto, control code for controlling that equipment is automatically installed on the computer system. In order to have this proceed fully automatically, control code for controlling a large variety of devices is supplied standard along with the operating system of the computer system. If a device for which no suitable control code is present on the computer system is being connected, the computer system asks the user for that control code. This control code is then to be transferred to the computer system from, for instance, a diskette or a CD-ROM disk or via a telecommunication link.  
           [0003]    Devices for assembling mail pieces are manufactured in relatively small numbers and moreover have a large variety of designs. It is therefore not attractive to include control code for such a device in standard operating software for a computer system. Also when special operating systems built into mail assembly equipment itself, which are specifically intended for controlling exchangeable stations of that mail assembly equipment are involved, it is problematic to priorly input control code for all possible stations. Moreover, in this manner, no provisions can be made for future new control code for stations yet to be designed, which, for instance, can fulfill new functions.  
           [0004]    Separate supply of such control code entails the disadvantage that it requires coordination to add the correct control code to the correct equipment. For the user, it is laborious to manage the control code for the various equipment, and when the correct control code for a particular device is lost, it is laborious to procure the correct control code again.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0005]    It is an object of the invention to simplify the provision of the control code to be installed associated with a device to be connected to a control unit, for performing operations for the purpose of the assembly of mail pieces.  
           [0006]    This object is achieved according to the present invention by providing a method for arranging a control unit for controlling the assembly of mail pieces, comprising: communicatively linking a device for performing at least one operation for the assembly of mail pieces to the control unit; said device transmitting control code specific to that device to the control unit; and installing said control code on the control unit. The invention further provides a device for physically processing postal components for the assembly of mail pieces, comprising: a control unit for controlling at least one processing operation for the assembly of mail pieces, provided with an interface for connection to an interface of a control unit; and a memory containing: code for transferring, from said memory to said control unit according to a communication protocol, data, control code specific for control of the device by a control unit, and control code arranged for control by a control unit in accordance with said control code installed on said control unit. This device is specifically arranged for practicing the method according to the invention in cooperation with a control unit to which the device is connected. Further, the invention provides a combination which, in addition to a device according to the invention, comprises generic computer software for arranging a control unit for cooperation with various devices according to the invention having different associated control code files.  
           [0007]    As the control code which is specific to a device, or at least to devices of the type in question, is transferred from the device connected to the control unit, to the control unit, the control code does not need to be present beforehand or to be separately supplied along with the deuce.  
           [0008]    Particularly advantageous embodiments of the invention are laid down in the depending claims.  
           [0009]    The invention is further illustrated and elucidated on the basis of an exemplary embodiment with reference to the drawing. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING  
       [0010]    [0010]FIG. 1 is a representation of a configuration with different devices according to the invention; and  
         [0011]    [0011]FIG. 2 is a schematic representation of an example of a method according to the invention. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       [0012]    The system according to FIG. 1 is made up of a printer  1  for printing postal items, a processing device  2  for processing printed postal items into mail pieces and a control unit  3  for controlling the printer  1  and the processing device  2 .  
         [0013]    The printer is provided with a printer control  4  for controlling the print engine and the supply, feed-through and delivery functions of the printer in accordance with control instructions received from the control unit  3 . The processing device  2  according to this example is made up of an inserter station  5  for enveloping documents in envelopes, and an assembly, located upstream of the inserter station  5 , consisting of a transport unit  6  which carries two insert feeder stations  7 ,  8  and a folding station  9 . The inserter station  5  is provided with a processing control unit  10  for controlling the processing of documents by the inserter station  5  and by the stations  7 - 9  on the transport unit  6  in accordance with control instructions received from the control unit  3 . The processing control unit  10  is connected with a control unit  11  of the transport unit  6  which communicates with control units  12 ,  13 ,  14  of the stations  7 - 9 . The control units  10 - 14  of the processing device  2  are arranged for distributing, in accordance with the processing instructions coming from the control unit  3 , processing instructions and sequence information to the control units  10  and  12 - 14  of the stations, so that the correct operations are executed on the correct documents.  
         [0014]    The control unit  3  is provided with an interface  15  coupled to a network  36 . The control unit  3  is further provided with a processor  16  and an interface  17  connected with the printer  1  and with the processing device  2  for transmitting control signals to the printer  1  and the processing device  2 .  
         [0015]    It is noted that the configuration of the processing unit will naturally vary depending on the capacity and functionality desired for an application. The number of insert feeder stations, for instance, can be greater if it is desired to include a larger variety of inserts in a series of mail pieces. Further, there may be provided, for instance, a reading station, an accumulating station, an envelope printer, a franking machine, etc.  
         [0016]    The control unit  3  further includes a memory  18  in the form of a hard disk on which software has been installed and working memory of the processor  16 . Contained in the memory  18  is processing code for controlling the control unit  3 .  
         [0017]    In the proposed configuration, five devices are included which are arranged for transferring control code for controlling those devices to a control unit which in operation furnishes the instructions for the respective devices. These are the processing device  2 , the transport unit  6  and the three stations  7 - 9 .  
         [0018]    The control unit  10  of the inserter station  5  at the same time constitutes the central control unit of the processing device  2 . It is arranged and connected for controlling processing operations by the inserter station  5  and for controlling the control unit  11  of the transport unit  6 . This control unit  10  has an interface  19  which is connected with the control unit  3 , and memory  20 . The interfaces  17 ,  19  can be, for instance, RS-232 serial interfaces. The memory  20  contains code for transferring, according to a communication protocol, from the memory  20  to the control unit  3 , data, control code specific for control of the processing device  2  by the control unit  3 , and control code arranged for control by the control unit  3  in accordance with the control code installed on the control unit  3 .  
         [0019]    When the processing device  2  is connected to the control unit  3  for the first time, the installation of the control code on the control unit  3  proceeds as follows. The control unit  3  asks the control unit  10  via a bootstrap protocol for control code. This bootstrap protocol can be pre-installed on the control unit  3  and is applicable for communication with different types of processing devices prior to the installation on the control unit  3  of control code specific for the linked-up processing device  2 . The control unit  10  of the inserter station  5 , according to this example, proceeds to transmit a so-called DLL with COM objects with executable software to the control unit  3 . This software proceeds to execute the installation of the control code for the processing device  2  on the control unit  3 . The transfer of the control code to the control unit  3  and the execution of the installation of that software, for that matter, can be carried out in many other ways, for instance by transmitting “JavaBeans” from the control unit  10  to the control unit  3 .  
         [0020]    The control unit  11  of the transport unit  6  at the same time constitutes the central control unit for the stations  7 - 9  placed on the transport unit  6 . It is arranged and connected for controlling processing operations by the transport unit  6  and the stations  7 - 9  placed thereon. This control unit  11  has an interface  21  which is connected with the control unit  10  of the inserter station  10 , which controls this control unit  11 , and memory  22 . The memory  22  contains code for transmitting, according to a communication protocol, from the memory  22  to the control unit  10  of the inserter station  5 , data, control code specific for control of the transport unit  6  by the control unit  10  of the inserter station  5 , and control code arranged for control of the control unit  11  of the transport unit  6  by the control unit  10  of the inserter station  5  in accordance with the control code installed on the control unit  10  of the inserter station  5 .  
         [0021]    When the transport unit  6  is connected to the inserter station  5  for the first time, the installation of the control code on the control unit  10  of the inserter station  5  proceeds as follows. The control unit  10  of the inserter station  5  asks the control unit  11  via a bootstrap protocol for control code. The control unit  11  of the transport unit  6 , according to this example, proceeds to transmit a JavaBean with executable software to the control unit  10  of the inserter station  5 . Using this software, next, the control code for controlling the transport unit  6  is installed on the control unit  10  of the inserter station  5 .  
         [0022]    The control units  12 - 14  of the stations  7 - 9  each have an interface  23 - 25  which is connected with the control unit  11  of the transport unit  6 , which control unit  11  controls these control units  12 - 14 , and memory  29 - 31 . The memory  29 - 31  in each case contains code for transferring, according to a communication protocol, from the memory  29 - 31  to the control unit  11  of the transport unit  6 , data, control code specific for the control of the respective station  7 - 9  by the control unit  11  of the transport unit  6 , and control code arranged for control of the control unit  12 - 14  of the respective station  7 - 9  by the control unit  11  of the transport unit  6  in accordance with the control code installed on the control unit  11  of the transport unit  6 .  
         [0023]    When the stations  7 - 9  are placed on the transport unit  6  for the first time and are communicatively connected with the control unit  11  of the transport unit  6 , the installation of the control code on the control unit  11  of the transport unit  6  proceeds as follows. The control unit  11  of the transport unit  6  asks the respective control unit  12 - 14  for control code via a bootstrap protocol. The control unit  12 - 14  called upon, according to this example, proceeds to transmit a JavaBean with executable software to the control unit  11  of the transport unit  6 . Using this software, the control code for controlling the respective station  7 - 9  is then installed on the control unit  11  of the transport unit  6 .  
         [0024]    A particular advantage of the proposed device is that the control code in each control unit  3 ,  10 ,  11 , functioning as governing control unit, automatically adjusts to modifications of the configuration of the device. If, for instance, the transport unit  6  is replaced with another transport unit (for instance a longer one with more stations), the control code required for that purpose is automatically installed in the control unit  10  of the inserter station  5 , which, as stated, also constitutes the central control unit of the total processing device  2 . In response thereto, the control unit  10  updates the type information of the processing device  2  and the control code for controlling the processing device  2 . By the control unit  3  this change is detected as the presence of a new device. The control unit  3  thereupon sends to the control unit  10  of the inserter station  5  a request to send control code. This control code is subsequently transmitted by the control unit  10  of the inserter station  5  to the control unit  3 , where it is subsequently installed. The same principle also works for the control unit  11  of the transport unit  6 , which detects a change of stations connected thereto and updates the type information and control code accordingly, which in turn results in installation of that control code in the control unit  10  of the inserter station. This in turn leads to the above described procedure which is traversed if a change occurs regarding the transport unit connected to the inserter station.  
         [0025]    Preferably, the control code for controlling the transport unit  6  and the inserter station  5  is of modular structure, so that it can easily be automatically updated for the inclusion of control code for controlling new stations. Control possibilities necessary for controlling new functionalities of new stations on the transport unit  6  can then be automatically relayed into the control code which is installed in the control unit  3 .  
         [0026]    To enable the processing device  2  to be linked to a control unit  3  and to enable realization of the communication between the processing device  2  and the control unit a for transmitting the device-specific control code to be installed, preferably generic program code for installation on the control unit is supplied with the device. This generic program code contains a communication protocol for receiving data from the device connected to an interface  17  of that control unit  3  and for processing the received data.  
         [0027]    If the generic program code further comprises a generic processing code for automatically installing control code to be executed in accordance with the data received from the device, the adaptation of the control unit after installation of the generic program code and the connection of the processing device  2  further takes place without necessitating further user intervention.  
         [0028]    Preferably, the generic communication protocol includes instructions for transmitting call data, which call data upon transmission to a device  2  connected to an interface  17  of the control unit  3  provoke transmission of data by the device  2 . Then it makes no difference whether the processing device is connected first or the generic software is installed first. The communication for transferring the control code does not take place until after the control unit  3  has been prepared therefor and transmits the request for the control code to the linked device  2 .  
         [0029]    An example of the proposed method for arranging a control unit for controlling the assembly of mail pieces is further illustrated by the flow diagram represented in FIG. 2.  
         [0030]    First of all, for instance, a station  7  is communicatively connected with the control unit  11  of the transport unit  6 , functioning as governing control unit. During a configuration step which, both for the control unit  11  of the transport unit  6  and for the control unit  12  of the station  7 , begins at “start”, this leads to detection of a new station (step  40 ) by the control unit  11  of the transport unit  6 . Thereupon, the control unit  11  of the transport unit  6  transmits a request for control code to the control unit  12  of the station  7  (step  41 ). This request is detected by the control unit  12  of the station  7  (step  42 ). The control unit  12  of the station  7  thereupon reads the program code for installing the control code for controlling that station  7  from the memory  29  and transmits it to the control unit  11  of the transport unit  6  (step  43 ). The control unit  11  of the transport unit  6  receives this program code (step  44 ) and executes it, so that the control code for controlling the station  7  is installed in the control unit  11  of the transport unit  6  (step  45 ).  
         [0031]    Next, the type information and the control code in the memory  22  of the control unit  11  of the transport unit  6  is updated. This leads, as described, to a corresponding procedure taking place between the control units  10  and  11  of the inserter station  5  and the transport unit  6 . Thereafter, the type information and the control code in the memory  20  of the control unit  10  of the inserter station  5  is updated. This leads, as described, to a corresponding procedure taking place between the control unit  10  of the inserter station  5  and the control unit  3 .  
         [0032]    The transmission of information by the linked-up device can take place not only, as described, in response to the control unit detecting the device connected thereto and controlling the device to transmit control code, but also in response to the operation of the device for transmitting control code to the control unit, for instance with a control button or with a scanner which signals that the device is physically or electronically connected. To that end, the linked-up device can, for instance, transmit an interrupt signal to the control unit which functions as governing control unit for that device.