Method and apparatus for sequentially feeding media

Abstract

A method and apparatus are provided for calculating a conveying distance of a second medium for picking up a third medium based on the length of media and the gap between a first medium and the second medium and correcting a pickup time from the third medium based on the conveying distance to sequentially feed the media. The method of sequentially feeding media includes (a) sensing the front end and the rear end of a first medium and calculating the length L 1 of the first medium; (b) sensing the front end of a second medium that is fed after the first medium and calculating the gap G 1 between the rear end of the first medium and the front end of the second medium; (c) calculating a conveying distance P 1 of the second medium for picking up a third medium after the front end of the second medium is sensed; and (d) sequentially picking up and feeding the media using the conveying distance P 1.

1 . A method of sequentially feeding media, comprising: 
 (a) sensing a front end and a rear end of a first medium and calculating a length L 1  of the first medium;    (b) sensing a front end of a second medium that is fed after the first medium and calculating a gap G 1  between the rear end of the first medium and the front end of the second medium;    (c) calculating a conveying distance P 1  of the second medium for picking up a third medium after the front end of the second medium is sensed; and    (d) sequentially picking up and feeding the media using the conveying distance P 1 .    
   
   
       2 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein step (a) further comprises 
 sensing the front end and the rear end of the first medium;    measuring the conveying distance between when the front end of the first medium is sensed and when the rear end of the first medium is sensed; and    calculating the length L 1  of the first medium.    
   
   
       3 . The method according to  claim 2 , wherein step (b) further comprises 
 sensing the front end of the second medium;    measuring the conveying distance between when the rear end of the first medium is sensed and when the front end of the second medium is sensed; and    calculating the gap G 1  between the rear end of the first medium and the front end of the second medium.    
   
   
       4 . The method according to  claim 3 , further comprising 
 determining the conveying distance P 1  by calculating the equation P 1 =L 1 −(G 1 −Gs), where Gs is a spacing gap between the media.    
   
   
       5 . The method according to  claim 4 , further comprising 
 setting the spacing gap Gs between the media.    
   
   
       6 . The method according to  claim 4 , further comprising 
 determining the spacing gap Gs between the media by calculating the equation Gs=S−D, where S is the spacing between the medium conveyed at a predetermined speed and the medium that is picked up and conveyed at a predetermined acceleration, and where D is the distance between the front end of the medium that is picked up and conveyed at the predetermined acceleration and the pickup location of the medium.    
   
   
       7 . The method according to  claim 6 , further comprising 
 controlling the pickup time of the media by the spacing S between the medium conveyed at a predetermined speed and the medium that is picked up and conveyed at the predetermined acceleration.    
   
   
       8 . The method according to  claim 6 , wherein 
 the spacing gap Gs between the media is at least zero.    
   
   
       9 . The method according to  claim 2 , further comprising 
 displaying a feeding speed or a feeding mode of the media.    
   
   
       10 . A computer program embodied on a computer-readable medium to execute a method of sequentially feeding media, comprising: 
 a first set of instructions for sensing a front end and a rear end of a first medium and calculating the length L 1  of the first medium;    a second set of instructions for sensing the front end of a second medium that is fed after the first medium and calculating the gap G 1  between the rear end of the first medium and the front end of the second medium;    a third set of instructions for calculating a conveying distance P 1  of the second medium for picking up a third medium after the front end of the second medium is sensed; and    a fourth set of instructions for sequentially picking up and feeding the media using the conveying distance P 1 .    
   
   
       11 . An apparatus for sequentially feeding media, comprising: 
 a sensing unit sensing a front end and a rear end of the media;    a counter unit measuring a conveying distance of the media;    a calculating unit calculating a length L 1  of a first medium and a gap G 1  between the rear end of the first medium and the front end of a second medium that is fed after the first medium; and    a controlling unit picking up a third medium using the length L 1  of the first medium and the gap G 1 .    
   
   
       12 . The apparatus according to  claim 11 , wherein the controlling unit includes 
 a third calculating unit calculating a conveying distance P 1  of the second medium for picking up the third medium after the front end of the second medium is sensed based on the length L 1  of the first medium and the gap G 1 ; and    a pickup time correcting unit correcting a pickup time of the media such that the third medium is picked up when the second medium is conveyed the conveying distance P 1 .    
   
   
       13 . The apparatus according to  claim 12 , wherein 
 the conveying distance P 1  is calculated by P 1 =L 1 −(G 1 −Gs), where Gs is a spacing gap between the media.    
   
   
       14 . The apparatus according to  claim 13 , wherein 
 the spacing gap Gs between the media is calculated by Gs=S−D, where S is the spacing between the medium conveyed at a predetermined speed and the medium that is picked up and conveyed at a predetermined acceleration and D is the spacing between the front end of the medium that is picked up and conveyed at the predetermined acceleration and the pickup location of the medium.    
   
   
       15 . The apparatus according to  claim 14 , wherein 
 the pickup time of the media is controlled by the spacing S between the medium conveyed at the predetermined speed and the medium that is picked up and conveyed at the predetermined acceleration.    
   
   
       16 . The apparatus according to  claim 15 , wherein 
 the spacing gap Gs between the media is at least zero.    
   
   
       17 . The apparatus according to  claim 11 , further comprising 
 a display unit displaying a feeding speed or a feeding mode of the media.