Granted Patent B2

US 7,418,332 · App. 11/119,746 · Granted Aug 26, 2008

Abstract

Claims (29)

1. A method for controlling a moving mass comprising:

accelerating the moving mass according to a velocity profile;

detecting that the moving mass has a specified position; and

altering the velocity profile based on the detection of the moving mass having the specified position by reducing a maximum velocity of the moving mass if the moving mass has the specified position before a maximum velocity of the velocity profile is achieved.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the velocity profile is defined by a lookup table.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the velocity profile is altered by using a lookup table entry that provides an achieved velocity of the moving mass that is lower than the maximum velocity of the velocity profile.

4. The method of claim 3 , further comprising decelerating the moving mass using the altered velocity profile.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the moving mass is moved using a stepper motor.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the moving mass is included in a photocopier, a xerographic photocopier, a paper handler, a document finisher, a scanner, a printer, or a fax machine.

7. A system for controlling a moving mass comprising:

an electro-mechanical apparatus operable to accelerate the moving mass according to a velocity profile; and

a sensor operable to detect that the moving mass has a specified position;

wherein the electro-mechanical apparatus is further operable to alter the velocity profile based on the detection of the moving mass by the sensor by reducing a maximum velocity of the moving mass if the sensor detects the moving mass before a maximum velocity of the velocity profile is achieved.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein the velocity profile is defined by a lookup table.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the velocity profile is altered by using a lookup table entry that provides an achieved velocity of the moving mass that is lower than the maximum velocity of the velocity profile.

10. The method of claim 9 , further comprising decelerating the moving mass using the altered velocity profile.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the electro-mechanical apparatus comprises a stepper motor and a controller.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the moving mass is included in a photocopier, a xerographic photocopier, a paper handler, a document finisher, a scanner, a printer, or a fax machine.

13. A system for controlling a moving mass comprising:

a processor operable to execute computer program instructions;

a memory operable to store computer program instructions executable by the processor; and

computer program instructions stored in the memory and executable to perform the steps of:

accelerating the moving mass according to a velocity profile;

detecting that the moving mass has a specified position; and

altering the velocity profile based on the detection of the moving mass having the specified position by reducing a maximum velocity of the moving mass if the moving mass has the specified position before a maximum velocity of the velocity profile is achieved.

14. The system of claim 13 , wherein the velocity profile is defined by a lookup table.

15. The system of claim 14 , wherein the velocity profile is altered by using a lookup table entry that provides an achieved velocity of the moving mass that is lower than the maximum velocity of the velocity profile.

16. The system of claim 15 , further comprising decelerating the moving mass using the altered velocity profile.

17. The system of claim 16 , wherein the moving mass is included in a photocopier, a xerographic photocopier, a paper handler, a document finisher, a scanner, a printer, or a fax machine.

Assignments (10)