The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Apr. 20, 2004
Filed:
Jan. 03, 2003
Robert Delaney, Ithaca, NY (US);
James R. Del Signore, Trumansburg, NY (US);
Kathleen Maginnity, Interlaken, NY (US);
John G. Mitchell, Ovid, NY (US);
Thomas Parent, Providence, RI (US);
Axiohm Transaction Solutions, Inc., Ithaca, NY (US);
Abstract
There is provided a method for monitoring paper or other jams of a carriage in a printer by monitoring the current waveshape in a first winding of a stepper motor at or near the time when a second winding of the stepper motor commutates. The current waveshape is received from a low-value sensing resistor, typically within an integrated circuit stepper motor driver device. Changes in the current waveshape during this time window may be interpreted and accurate deductions may be made concerning the loading of the stepper motor. In the case where the stepper motor is the drive motor for a printer carriage, the loading information may be used to detect a paper jam or similar problem in the printer carriage.