Printer with a process diagnostics system for detecting events

• US 6,735,484 B1
• Filed: 09/20/2000
• Issued: 05/11/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 09/20/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Fargo Electronics Inc. (Assa Abloy AB)
• Original Assignee: Fargo Electronics Inc. (Assa Abloy AB)
• Inventors: Lenz, Gary A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Khatri, Anil
• Assistant Examiner(s): Hartman, Jr., Ronald D
• Application Number:
  US09/666,899
• Time in Patent Office: 1,329 Days
• Field of Search: 700/28, 700/48-50, 700/71, 700/109, 700/117, 700/275, 700/51, 399/49, 399/11, 399/113, 399/162, 347/4, 347/19, 358/1.9, 358/1.18, 358/1.16
• US Class Current: 700/51
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 23/024 Quantitative history assessment, e.g. mathematical relationships between available data; Functions therefor; Principal component analysis [PCA]; Partial least square [PLS]; Statistical classifiers, e.g. Bayesian networks, linear regression or correlation analysis; Neural networks
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 23/0275 Fault isolation and identification, e.g. classify fault; estimate cause or root of failure

Abstract

An identification card printer for printing an identification card includes a print mechanism configured to print onto the identification card. A process signal input is configured to receive a process signal related to operation of the identification card printer. A memory contains a nominal process signal statistical parameter and a rule. A microprocessor is coupled to the memory and configured to receive the process signal from the process signal input and calculates a statistical parameter of the process signal. The microprocessor compares the calculated statistical parameter to the nominal statistical parameter based upon the rule and responsively provides an event output as a function of the comparison. The event output is related to an occurrence of an event during operation of the identification card printer.

Claims

1. An identification card printer for printing an identification card, comprising:

a print mechanism configured to print onto the identification card;

a process signal input configured to receive a process signal generated during processing of an identification card by the identification card printer;

a memory containing a nominal process signal statistical parameter and a rule; and

a microprocessor coupled to the memory and configured to receive the process signal from the process signal input, the microprocessor further configured to calculate a statistical parameter of the process signal, compare the calculated statistical parameter to the nominal statistical parameter based upon the rule and responsively provide an event output as a function of the comparison, the event output related to an occurrence of an event during operation of the identification card printer.

2. The identification card printer of claim 1 including a control loop configured to control operation of the identification card printer as a function of the process signal.

3. The identification card printer of claim 1 including a sensor configured to sense operation of the identification card printer and responsively generate the process signal.

4. The identification card printer of claim 3 wherein the sensor comprises a position sensor.

5. The identification card printer of claim 3 wherein the sensor comprises a pressure sensor.

6. The identification card printer of claim 3 wherein the sensor comprises a heat sensor.

7. The identification card printer of claim 3 wherein the sensor comprises an optical sensor.

8. The identification card printer of claim 3 wherein the sensor comprises a tension sensor.

9. The identification card printer of claim 3 wherein the sensor comprises a quantity sensor.

10. The identification card printer of claim 3 wherein the sensor comprises a power sensor.

11. The identification card printer of claim 3 wherein the sensor comprises a current sensor.

12. The identification card printer of claim 3 wherein the sensor comprises a voltage sensor.

13. The identification card printer of claim 3 wherein the sensor comprises a sensor configured to sense a lamination process of the printer.

14. The identification card printer of claim 1 wherein the process signal is related to a temperature.

15. The identification card printer of claim 1 wherein the process signal is related to a position.

16. The identification card printer of claim 1 wherein the process signal is related to a motor current.

17. The identification card printer of claim 1 wherein the process signal is related to a motor voltage.

18. The identification card printer of claim 1 wherein the process signal is related to a rotary position.

19. The identification card printer of claim 1 wherein the process signal is related to a web tension.

20. The identification card printer of claim 1 wherein the process signal is related to a magnetic field strength.

21. The identification card printer of claim 1 wherein the process signal is related to a vibration.

22. The identification card printer of claim 1 wherein the process signal comprises a control signal.

23. The identification card printer of claim 22 wherein the control signal comprises desired temperature.

24. The identification card printer of claim 22 wherein the control signal comprises desired pressure.

25. The identification card printer of claim 22 wherein the control signal comprises desired force.

26. The identification card printer of claim 22 wherein the control signal comprises desired position.

27. The identification card printer of claim 22 wherein the control signal comprises desired current.

28. The identification card printer of claim 22 wherein the control signal comprises desired voltage.

29. The identification card printer of claim 22 wherein the control signal comprises desired tension.

30. The identification card printer of claim 22 wherein the control signal comprises a calibration value.

31. The identification card printer of claim 22 wherein the control signal comprises an alarm.

32. The identification card printer of claim 22 wherein the control signal comprises an alarm condition.

33. The identification card printer of claim 22 wherein the control signal comprises an on/off signal.

34. The identification card printer of claim 1 wherein the process signal comprises a diagnostic signal.

35. The identification card printer of claim 1 wherein the process signal comprises a resistance.

36. The identification card printer of claim 1 wherein the process signal comprises a frequency.

37. The identification card printer of claim 1 wherein the process signal comprises a back EMF.

38. The identification card printer of claim 1 including a controller to control printing.

39. The identification card printer of claim 1 wherein the process signal is a function of signals from more than one sensor.

40. The identification card printer of claim 1 wherein the process signal relates to a printing process.

41. The identification card printer of claim 1 wherein the process signal relates to an encoding process.

42. The identification card printer of claim 1 wherein the process signal relates to a card feeding process.

43. The identification card printer of claim 1 wherein the process signal relates to a card flipping process.

44. The identification card printer of claim 1 wherein the event output comprises a network output.

45. The identification card printer of claim 1 wherein the event output comprises an event output configured to publish as a web page.

46. The identification card printer of claim 1 wherein the event output comprises a display output.

47. The identification card printer of claim 1 wherein the memory includes a sensitivity parameter and the event output is further a function of the sensitivity parameter.

48. The identification-card printer of claim 47 wherein the event output is a function of the sensitivity parameter.

49. The identification card printer of claim 1 wherein the nominal process signal is a function of trained values.

50. The identification card printer of claim 1 wherein a statistical parameter comprises a standard deviation.

51. The identification card printer of claim 1 wherein a statistical parameter comprises a mean.

52. The identification card printer of claim 1 wherein a statistical parameter comprises a sample variance.

53. The identification card printer of claim 1 wherein a statistical parameter comprises a root-mean-square (RMS).

54. The identification card printer of claim 1 wherein a statistical parameter comprises a range (delta R).

55. The identification card printer of claim 1 wherein a statistical parameter comprises a rate of change (ROC).

56. The identification card printer of claim 1 wherein the nominal process signal statistical parameter is a function of previous values of the process signal.

57. The identification card printer of claim 56 wherein the previous values of the process signal are obtained during stable operation of the process.

58. The identification card printer of claim 1 wherein the event output is indicative of bias.

59. The identification card printer of claim 1 wherein the event output is indicative of drift.

60. The identification card printer of claim 1 wherein the event output is indicative of noise.

61. The identification card printer of claim 1 wherein the event output is indicative of a spike.

62. The identification card printer of claim 1 wherein the event output is indicative of a stuck signal.

63. The identification card printer of claim 1 wherein the event output is indicative of a normal signal.

64. The identification card printer of claim 1 wherein the rule is an if-then rule rule.

65. The identification card printer of claim 1 wherein the rule comprises a fuzzy logic operation.

66. The identification card printer of claim 1 wherein the rule comprises a neural network operation.

67. The identification card printer of claim 1 wherein the rule operates on more than one process signal.

68. The identification card printer of claim 1 including an inference engine configured to identify a cause of the event output.