System and method for monitoring and controlling document velocity in a scanning system
A method of scanning documents and moving such documents along a path such that during scanning a method of improving the documents velocity and the documents image quality is disclosed. The method includes providing a plurality of documents in an input tray and transporting each document along the path from the input tray at a transport velocity past the scanner to obtain scanned image data. By monitoring and controlling the velocity profile of the transport system, the scanning system may provide higher image quality, reduce slippage, misfeeds and jams, and provide alerts to an operator in the even slippage, misfeeds, or jams do occur.
1. A system for providing an improved document velocity along a document transport path comprising:
(a) a roller for conveying the document along the document transport path;
(b) a motor for driving the roller with a motor velocity;
(c) a document location sensor for detecting an edge of the document; and
(d) a processor configured to:
(i) monitor a velocity profile of the document transport path; and
(ii) control the motor velocity;
wherein the processor is configured to decrease the motor velocity to compensate for expected changes in velocity of the document along the document path, thereby conveying the document at a more constant velocity along the document transport path, responsive to the document location sensor and the monitored velocity profile of the document transport path.
2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the roller for conveying the document includes an urging roller for urging the document into the document transport path and a separation device for separating individual sheets of documents.
3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the document location sensor detects a leading edge of the document.
4. The system of claim 3 , wherein the processor is configured to modify the motor velocity after the leading edge of the document is detected.
5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the document location sensor detects a trailing edge of the document.
6. The system of claim 5 , wherein the processor is configured to modify the motor velocity after the trailing edge of the document is detected.
7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the processor further monitors the velocity profiles of previous passages of other documents along the document transport path.
8. The system of claim 7 , wherein the processor is further configured to modify the motor velocity to compensate for expected changes in velocity of the document along the document path based on the velocity profiles of the previous passages of other documents along the transport path.
9. A method of improving document velocity along a document transport path comprising:
(a) conveying the document with a roller along the document transport path;
(b) driving the roller with a motor, wherein the motor operates at a variable motor velocity;
(c) detecting an edge of the document with a document location sensor;
(d) monitoring a velocity profile of the document transport path;
(e) controlling the motor velocity; and
(f) decreasing the motor velocity to compensate for expected changes in velocity of the document along the document path, thereby conveying the document at a more constant velocity along the document transport path, responsive to the document location sensor and the velocity profile of the document transport path.
10. The method of claim 9 , wherein conveying the document with a roller includes urging the document into the document transport path with an urging roller and separating individual sheets of documents with a separation device.
11. The method of claim 9 , wherein detecting an edge of the document includes detecting a leading edge of the document.
12. The method of claim 11 , further comprising modifying the motor velocity after the leading edge of the document is detected.
13. The method of claim 9 , wherein detecting an edge of the document includes detecting a trailing edge of the document.
14. The method of claim 13 , further comprising modifying the motor velocity after the trailing edge of the document is detected.
15. The method of claim 9 , further comprising monitoring the velocity profiles of previous passages of other documents along the document transport path.
16. The method of claim 9 , wherein modifying the motor velocity to compensate for expected changes in velocity of the document along the document path based on the velocity profiles of previous passages of other documents along the document transport path.
17. A system for providing an improved document velocity along a document transport path comprising:
(a) a roller for conveying the document along the document transport path;
(b) a motor for driving the roller with a motor velocity;
(c) a document location sensor for detecting a trailing edge of the document; and
(d) a processor configured to:
(i) monitor a velocity profile of the document transport path; and
(ii) control the motor velocity;
wherein the processor is configured to decrease the motor velocity in response to detecting the movement of the trailing edge of the document along the document path, thereby conveying the document at a more constant velocity along the document transport path, responsive to the document location sensor and the monitored velocity profile of the document transport path.