Method of automatically setting document registration and locating

Abstract

A method of locating the position of an object on the platen of a raster input scanner having a movable scan carriage and an extended array of scanners is disclosed. The method includes the steps of obtaining a previously stored theoretical position of the object from a memory, locating the scan carriage at a position spaced a predetermined distance from the previously stored position, moving the scan carriage toward the previously stored position while operating at least some of the scanners until a target on the object is detected by the operating scanners, and storing a target position of the scan carriage where the target is detected. The target position can represent the location of the scanner's calibration strip or the registration position of a document. After the target position is stored, the scan carriage can be located at the target position for calibrating the scanners if the target position represents the location of the calibration strip. Alternatively, the scan carriage can be located at the target position prior to actuating the scanners for each subsequent document to be scanned if the target position represents a document registration position. This procedure is repeated to determine the document registration positions for documents which are placed on the platen manually, by an SADH or SALDH input, by a CFF input, or by an RDH input.