Document feeder and method
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A method of supplying documents from a stack of documents at a storage location, comprising:
- stacking a plurality of documents and separators at the storage location with a separator located between successive document batches, each separator carrying data related to the associated batch;
supplying the documents and separators singly from the storage location; and
obtaining information about the documents and separators, including detecting and reading separator data for each separator while the separator is in the storage location.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A document feeder comprises an input hopper (1) into which batches of documents with interleaved separators (24, 25) are loaded in use, each separator carrying data related to the associated batch. A feed system (9, 10) withdraws documents and separators singly from the input hopper. A sensing system (7) obtains information about the documents and separators. The sensing system includes a data sensor (7) located so as to read separator data while the separator (24, 25) is in the input hopper (1).
-
Citations
27 Claims
-
1. A method of supplying documents from a stack of documents at a storage location, comprising:
-
stacking a plurality of documents and separators at the storage location with a separator located between successive document batches, each separator carrying data related to the associated batch; supplying the documents and separators singly from the storage location; and obtaining information about the documents and separators, including detecting and reading separator data for each separator while the separator is in the storage location. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
-
-
12. A method of feeding documents from a stack of documents at a storage location, the method comprising:
-
detecting one or more characteristics of the document to be fed while the document is in the storage location, the detected characteristic(s) relating to one or more of the authenticity, condition, fitness and denomination or other predetermined pattern of the document; and supplying the document to a feed system capable of receiving documents only from said stack and in a manner determined in accordance with the detected characteristic(s), the feed system selectively supplying a document to an output stack in accordance with the detected characteristic(s), or each output stack being capable of receiving documents only via the feed system. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16)
-
-
17. A document feeder comprising:
-
a storage location into which batches of documents with interleaved separators are loaded in use, each separator carrying data related to the associated batch; a feed system for withdrawing documents and separators singly from the storage location; and a sensing system for obtaining information about the documents and separators, the sensing system including a data sensor located so as to detect and read separator data for each separator while the separator is in the storage location. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
-
-
25. A document supply apparatus comprising:
-
a single storage location for holding a stack of documents; a feed system for feeding documents only from said single storage location; and a detector for detecting one or more characteristics of a document, the feed system feeding the document in accordance with the detected characteristic, wherein the detected characteristic(s) relate to one or more of authenticity, condition, fitness, and denomination or other predetermined pattern of the document, and wherein the detector includes a sensor located so as to sense the document characteristic(s) while the document is in the storage location. - View Dependent Claims (26, 27)
-
Specification