Patent ID: 7426043

Claim:
A method to reduce a total inter-document zone region in a multi-pitch intermediate multi-pass system, comprising: shifting individual inter-document zones, in a multi-pitch intermediate multi-pass system, in accordance with asymmetric timing of start and stop times of processes occurring within the individual inter-document zone; shifting individual images, in a multi-pitch intermediate multi-pass system, forward to a position outside of a normally synchronized position of the image; wherein the individual images, in a multi-pitch intermediate multi-pass system, are shifted forward to a position outside of a normally synchronized position of the image when a transfer start requires a larger time than transfer stop; varying an arrangement of similarly asymmetric inter-document zones to precess each successive document; and determining a minimum inter-document zone in accordance with an inter-document zone requirement associated with a transfer start and a requirement to provide synchronous images on successive passes within each document.