Identifying a previously marked sheet
View Patent ↗A method of printing on a sheet of recording medium included in a randomly oriented stack of recording media provided to a printing apparatus, the method comprising: a) using a scanning element disposed in a printing path of the printing apparatus to scan a first side of the sheet of recording medium to provide scan data; b) analyzing the scan data to determine whether the first side has previously been marked on; and c) making a predetermined indicator on the first side of the sheet of recording medium if it is determined that the first side has previously been marked on.
1. A method of printing on a sheet of recording medium included in a randomly oriented stack of recording media provided to a printing apparatus, the method comprising:
using a scanning element disposed in a printing path of the printing apparatus to scan a first side of the sheet of recording medium to provide scan data;
analyzing the scan data to determine whether the first side has previously been marked on; and
making a predetermined indicator on the first side of the sheet of recording medium if it is determined that the first side has previously been marked on;
wherein making the predetermined indicator further comprises making the predetermined indicator in a predetermined location;
wherein scanning the first side of the sheet further includes determining whether the first side has previously been marked in a region near the predetermined location.
2. The method according to claim 1 further comprising:
turning the sheet of recording medium over if the first side has previously been marked on;
providing image data to the printing apparatus; and
printing an image corresponding to the image data on a second side of the sheet of recording medium.
3. The method according to claim 1 , wherein scanning the first side of the sheet further includes detecting a predominantly used color on the first side of the sheet near the predetermined location, and wherein making the predetermined indicator further includes making the predetermined indicator in a color that is different from the predominantly used color.
4. The method according to claim 1 further comprising:
turning the sheet of recording medium over if the first side has previously been marked on;
using the scanning element disposed in the printing path of the printing apparatus to scan a second side of the sheet of recording medium to provide scan data;
analyzing the scan data to determine whether the second side has previously been marked on; and
making a predetermined indicator on the second side of the sheet of recording medium if the second side has previously been marked on.
5. A method of printing on a sheet of recording medium included in a randomly oriented stack of recording media provided to a printing apparatus, the method comprising:
using a scanning element disposed in a printing path of the printing apparatus to scan a first side of the sheet of recording medium to provide scan data;
analyzing the scan data to determine whether the first side has previously been marked on; and
making a predetermined indicator on the first side of the sheet of recording medium if it is determined that the first side has previously been marked on;
wherein scanning the first side of the sheet further includes detecting a predominantly used color on the first side of the sheet, and wherein making the predetermined indicator further includes making the predetermined indicator in a color that is different from the predominantly used color.
6. The method according to claim 5 , wherein making the predetermined indicator in a color that is different from the predominantly used color includes selecting a color that contrasts with the predominantly used color.
7. The method according to claim 5 further comprising ejecting the sheet of recording medium after the predetermined indicator has been made on the first side of the sheet.
8. The method according to claim 5 further comprising:
turning the sheet of recording medium over if the first side has previously been marked on;
providing image data to the printing apparatus; and
printing an image corresponding to the image data on a second side of the sheet of recording medium.
9. The method according to claim 5 , wherein the predetermined indicator is machine-readable.
10. The method according to claim 5 further comprising:
turning the sheet of recording medium over if the first side has previously been marked on;
using the scanning element disposed in the printing path of the printing apparatus to scan a second side of the sheet of recording medium to provide scan data;
analyzing the scan data to determine whether the second side has previously been marked on; and
making a predetermined indicator on the second side of the sheet of recording medium if the second side has previously been marked on.
11. The method according to claim 10 , wherein making the predetermined indicator on the second side of the sheet includes making a predetermined indicator that is different from the predetermined indicator made on the first side of the sheet.
12. A method of printing on a sheet of recording medium included in a randomly oriented stack of recording media provided printing apparatus, the method comprising:
using a scanning element disposed in a printing path of the printing apparatus to scan a first side of the sheet of recording medium to provide scan data;
analyzing the scan data to determine whether the first side has previously been marked on;
making a predetermined indicator on the first side of the sheet of recording medium if it is determined that the first side has previously been marked on; and
using a user-specified configuration of the predetermined indicator.
13. The method according to claim 12 , wherein the user-specified predetermined indicator includes text.
14. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the predetermined indicator is machine-readable.
15. The method according to claim 4 , wherein making the predetermined indicator on the second side of the sheet includes making a predetermined indicator that is different from the predetermined indicator made on the first side of the sheet.
16. The method according to claim 12 , wherein making the predetermined indicator further includes selecting a color based on based on ink utilization.
17. The method according to claim 12 further comprising:
turning the sheet of recording medium over if the first side has previously been marked on;
providing image data to the printing apparatus; and
printing an image corresponding to the image data on a second side of the sheet of recording medium.
18. The method according to claim 12 , wherein the predetermined indicator is machine-readable.
19. The method according to claim 12 further comprising:
turning the sheet of recording medium over if the first side has previously been marked on;
using the scanning element disposed in the printing path of the printing apparatus to scan a second side of the sheet of recording medium to provide scan data;
analyzing the scan data to determine whether the second side has previously been marked on; and
making a predetermined indicator on the second side of the sheet of recording medium if the second side has previously been marked on.
20. The method according to claim 19 , wherein making the predetermined indicator on the second side of the sheet includes making a predetermined indicator that is different from the predetermined indicator made on the first side of the sheet.