Distributed control systems and methods that selectively activate respective coordinators for respective tasks

Abstract

Respective coordinators are spawned or activated to coordinate activities with regard to respective tasks. Where the respective tasks require cooperative efforts of a plurality of controllers, the respective coordinators ensure cooperative efforts by generating and communicating cooperative commands to the plurality of controllers. The coordinators may act as clearinghouses for system data, selectively requesting and relaying system information to appropriate controllers. For example, a document processing system activates respective coordinators for respective sheets of print media. The respective coordinators orchestrate the transportation of the sheets by sequentially orchestrating the activities of sequentially selected pluralities of transportation actuator controllers. Selected sheet position information from sensors and/or from models maintained by the actuator controllers may be relayed by the coordinators to selected actuator controllers as appropriate to the sheet transportation tasks.