SOUND BASED MEDIA DRIVE

• US 20090022536A1
• Filed: 07/18/2007
• Published: 01/22/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 07/18/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Takeshita, Kent S., Johnson, Clyde A.
• Application Number:
  US11/779,870
• Publication Number:
  US 20090022536A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 400/617
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 11/006 Means for preventing paper jams or for facilitating their removal

Abstract

Various methods and apparatus relating to sensing sounds of a medium being driven and to adjusting driving of the medium as the medium is being driven based upon the sensed sounds are disclosed.

Claims

1. A printer comprising:

an audio sensor configured to sense a medium being driven; and

a controller configured to compare audio signals received from the audio sensor with a stored audio signature representing a media jam to determine if a media jam is starting and to generate control signals adjusting driving of a medium being jammed prior to completion of the media jam.

2. The printer of claim 1 further comprising:

a pair of opposing rollers forming a nip, wherein at least one of the rollers is driven; and

an actuator, wherein the actuator is configured to separate the first pair of rollers to cease driving of the medium in response to the control signals.

3. The printer of claim 1 further comprising:

a pair of opposing rollers forming a nip, wherein at least one of the rollers is driven;

a motor; and

a transmission actuatable between a first transmitting state transmitting output of the motor to at least one roller and a second non-transmitting state, wherein the transmission actuates to the non-transmitting state in response to the control signals.

4. The printer of claim 1 further comprising:

a pair of opposing rollers forming a nip, wherein at least one of the rollers is driven; and

a motor configured to drive at least one roller, wherein the motor is configured to cease driving at least one roller in response to the control signals.

5. The printer of claim 1 further comprising:

a pair of opposing rollers forming a nip, wherein at least one of the rollers is driven; and

a motor configured to drive at least one roller, wherein the motor is configured to drive at least one roller in a reverse direction in response to the control signals.

6. The printer of claim 1 further comprising a pair of opposing rollers forming a nip, wherein at least one of the rollers is driven, wherein the first pair of opposing rollers includes a heated roller and a pressure roller.

7. The printer of claim 1 further comprising:

a first pair of opposing rollers forming a nip, wherein at least one of the rollers is driven; and

a second pair of rollers configured to drive the medium while the medium is being driven by the first pair of rollers.

8. The printer of claim 1 further comprising:

a pair of opposing rollers forming a nip, wherein at least one of the rollers is driven;

an enclosure at least partially enclosing the first pair of rollers and having an input, wherein the controller is configured to adjust driving of the medium prior to a trailing edge of the medium passing through the input.

9. The printer of claim 1 further comprising a pair of opposing rollers forming a nip, wherein at least one of the rollers is driven and wherein the controller is configured to adjust driving of the medium prior to a trailing edge of the medium passing through the nip.

10. The printer of claim 1 further comprising:

a pair of opposing rollers forming a nip, wherein at least one of the rollers is driven; and

a sensor configured to sense the medium after it has passed between the pair of rollers, wherein the controller is configured to adjust polling of the audio sensor or to begin comparing the audio signals received with the stored audio signature based upon signals from the sensor.

11. The printer of claim 1 further comprising:

a pair of opposing rollers forming a nip, wherein at least one of the rollers is driven;

a sensor configured to sense the medium prior to the medium reaching the nip, wherein the controller is configured to adjust polling of the audio sensor or to begin comparing the audio signals received with the stored audio signature based upon signals from the sensor.

12. A method comprising:

sensing sounds of a medium being driven; and

adjusting driving of the medium as the medium is being driven based on the sensed sounds.

13. The method of claim 12 further comprising comparing the sensed sounds to a stored sound signature, wherein adjusting of driving of the medium is based on the comparison.

14. The method of claim 12 further comprising driving the medium with a pair of rollers including at least one driven roller and moving at least one of the rollers to separate the pair of rollers based upon the sensed sounds.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein the adjusting comprises driving the medium in a reverse direction based upon the sensed sounds.

16. The method of claim 12, further comprising driving the medium with a pair of rollers including at least one driven roller, wherein the adjusting comprises ceasing driving of the least one driven roller.

17. The method of claim 12 further comprising driving the medium with a pair of rollers including at least one driven roller, wherein one of the rollers is heated.

18. The method of claim 12, wherein the medium is driven through an input of an enclosure and wherein the adjusting occurs prior to a trailing edge of the medium passing through the input.

19. The method of claim 12 further comprising driving the medium with a pair of rollers including at least one driven roller, wherein the adjusting occurs prior to a trailing edge of the medium passing through a nip of the pair of rollers.

20. A computer readable medium comprising instructions configured to direct one or more processors to:

compare sensed sound values of a medium being driven with stored sound signatures; and

generate control signals adjusting driving of the medium as the medium is being driven based on the sensed sound values.