Method and system for a dynamic multiple scanners system

Abstract

A multiple laser-beam scanner system for applying pre-treatment to a cardboard item. While maintaining a substantially uniform velocity of conveying the cardboard item through the system, the cardboard item is logically divided into areas and one or more laser-beam scanners are assigned to the areas. As such, the complex areas of the cardboard can be made smaller and/or multiple laser-beam scanners can be assigned to the complex areas to help ensure that dwell time on the cardboard is not increased.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A dynamic-multiple-scanner system, comprising:
 a controller;   a conveyor; and   two or more laser-beam scanners communicatively coupled to the controller and configured to pre-treat a cardboard while the cardboard is been conveyed on the conveyor at a substantially constant velocity;   wherein the controller is configured to dynamically and automatically assign responsibility area to at least one of the two or more laser-beam scanners to pre-treat the cardboard.   
     
     
         2 . The dynamic-multiple-scanner system of  claim 1 , wherein the controller is further configured to divide the cardboard into a plurality of divisions and automatically and dynamically associate at least one of the two or more laser-beam scanners with one or more of the division during pre-treatment of a cardboard. 
     
     
         3 . The dynamic-multiple-scanner system of  claim 2 , wherein the controller is further configured to synchronize the starting point of pre-treatment of each division by the associated one or more laser-beam scanners. 
     
     
         4 . The dynamic-multiple-scanner system of  claim 1 , wherein the controller is further configured to divide the cardboard into a plurality of divisions and associate a laser-beam scanner with one or more of the division based at least in part on a job description for that cardboard. 
     
     
         5 . The dynamic-multiple-scanner system of  claim 4 , wherein the controller is further configured to synchronize the starting point of pre-treatment of each division by the associated one or more laser-beam scanner 
     
     
         6 . The dynamic-multiple-scanner system of  claim 1 , wherein the responsibility area of two or more laser-beam scanners at least partially overlap. 
     
     
         7 . The dynamic-multiple-scanner system of  claim 1 , wherein two or more laser-beam scanners are placed substantially parallel to each other. 
     
     
         8 . The dynamic-multiple-scanner system of  claim 1 , wherein the number of laser-beam scanners pre-treating a cardboard is a function of the cardboard size. 
     
     
         9 . The dynamic-multiple-scanner system of  claim 1 , wherein cardboard is conveyed in one direction. 
     
     
         10 . The dynamic-multiple-scanner system of  claim 1 , wherein the application of a pre-treatment of a cardboard comprises cutting the cardboard. 
     
     
         11 . The dynamic-multiple-scanner system of  claim 2 , wherein the size of a division is adapted to the sub-layout of the division required to be pre-treated by the laser-beam scanner. 
     
     
         12 . The dynamic-multiple-scanner system of  claim 2 , wherein the pre-treatment of each division by the relevant one or more laser-beam scanner is started in accordance with the sub-layout of the division required to be pre-treated by laser. 
     
     
         13 . A method of applying pre-treatment to a cardboard item using a dynamic-multiple-scanner system, the method comprising the actions of:
 obtaining a required layout of a cardboard for laser-beam pre-treatment;   dividing the cardboard into a plurality of divisions;   defining one or more laser-beam scanner responsibility areas for one or more divisions;   defining one or more laser-beam scanner pretreating starting points for one or more divisions.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , further comprising the action of:
 obtaining the cardboard and pre-treating it while it is being conveyed at a substantial constant velocity.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 13 , further comprising the action of: automatically and dynamically controlling and synchronizing one or more laser-beam scanner according to the division. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the actions are done during pre-treatment of a cardboard item. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the action of defining one or more laser-beam scanner responsibility area includes overlapping between one or more scanners responsibility area. 
     
     
         18 . The  claim 14 , wherein the cardboard is conveyed in one direction while the pre-treatment is applied. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the action of pre-treating the cardboard includes cutting the cardboard. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the step of dividing the cardboard into a plurality of divisions further comprises adapting a division size to the sub-layout of the division required to be pre-treated by the laser-beam scanner. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the action of defining one or more laser-beam scanner pretreating starting point for one or more divisions is at least partially based on the sub-layout of the division required to be pre-treated by laser.