Patent ID: 8582156

Claim:
A method of controlling a digital printing system comprising: providing a media that passes through the digital printing system along a media path; providing a plurality of operating units positioned along the media path for performing functions on the media; providing a controller including a metadata channel; using a primary metadata packet creation unit to provide information in a first metadata packet, the first metadata packet being associated with a first point of interest on the media, the first point of interest moving with the media along the media path; inserting the first metadata packet with the information into the metadata channel of the controller; using the controller to control an operation of at least one of the operating units responsive to the information in the first metadata packet when the first point of interest passes the operating unit; using a secondary metadata packet creation unit distinct from the primary metadata creation unit to provide new information in a second metadata packet, the second metadata packet being associated with a second point of interest on the media, the second point of interest being distinct from the first point of interest and moving with the media along the media path, wherein the new information in the second metadata packet is provided based on a monitored operating parameter of the digital printing system while operating on the first point of interest on the media; and inserting the second metadata packet with the new information into the metadata channel of the controller based on the location of the new point of interest on the media; and using the controller to control an operation of at least one of the operating units responsive to the information in the second metadata packet when the second point of interest passes the operating unit.