Method for assigning communication addresses

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10315419-B2
Application number	US-201715712201-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 22, 2017
Priority date	Sep 22, 2017
Publication date	Jun 11, 2019
Grant date	Jun 11, 2019

Abstract

A production system such as an inkjet printer system includes a plurality of communication distribution devices connected in a daisy chain arrangement. A plurality of secondary devices, such as printhead electronics boards for inkjet printheads, is connected to each of the communication distribution devices. A first communication distribution device which is connected to a system controller assigns a communication address to itself from a first set of communication address and assigns communication addresses to its connected secondary devices from a second set of communication addresses. It then communicates information to the next communication distribution device specifying the next available communication addresses. This process continues down the chain of communication distribution devices. The assigned communication addresses are then transmitted to the system controller. The assigned communication addresses enable the system controller to determine the relative physical locations of the communication distribution devices and secondary devices.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method for assigning communication addresses to devices within a production system, comprising:
providing a system controller for controlling the production system, the system controller including a communication port;
providing a plurality of communication distribution devices, each of the communication distribution devices including:
first and second primary communication ports through which the communication distribution device can be connected to another communication distribution device or to the system controller;
a plurality of secondary communication ports, the plurality of secondary communication ports being arranged in a defined sequence; and
signal detector configured to detect signals passing through the first and second primary communication ports to detect whether the communication distribution device is connected via the first primary communication port or the second primary communication port to another one of the plurality of communication distribution devices or to the system controller;

connecting the plurality of communication distribution devices together using the first and second primary communication ports in a daisy chain arrangement to form a connected sequence of communication distribution devices, wherein a first communication distribution device in the sequence of communication distribution devices is connected to the system controller via one of its first and second primary communication ports such that each communication distribution device is enabled to communicate with the system controller;
providing a plurality of secondary devices;
connecting each of the secondary devices to one of the secondary communication ports of one of the communications distribution devices;
specifying a first set of communication addresses from which communication addresses can be assigned to each of the communication distribution devices, the communication addresses of the first set of communication addresses having a prescribed sequence;
specifying a second set of communication addresses distinct from the first set of communication addresses, from which communication addresses can be assigned to each of the secondary devices, the communication addresses of the second set of communication addresses having a prescribed sequence;
wherein the system controller provides a signal to a first communication distribution device in the connected sequence of communication distribution devices via one of its first and the second primary communication ports;
upon detecting the signal from the system controller by the first communication distribution device, the first communication distribution device:
assigns itself a first communication address in the prescribed sequence of the first set of communication addresses;
sequentially assigns communication addresses from the prescribed sequence of the second set of communication addresses to the secondary devices connected to its secondary communication ports; and
communicates address information to the next communication distribution device in the connected sequence of communication distribution devices via one of its first and second primary communication ports, the address information specifying that the next communication distribution device should assign itself a next communication address in the prescribed sequence of the first set of communication addresses and specifying the next available communication address in the prescribed sequence of the second set of communication addresses that is available to be assigned to the secondary devices connected to the next communication distribution device;

upon receiving the communicated address information from the previous communication distribution device in the connected sequence of communication distribution devices each subsequent communication distribution device in the connected sequence of communication distribution devices:
assigns itself the received communication address in the prescribed sequence of the first set of communication addresses;
sequentially assigns communication addresses from the prescribed sequence of the second set of communication addresses to the secondary devices connected to its secondary communication ports starting with the received next available communication address; and
unless it is the last communication distribution device in the connected sequence of communication distribution devices, communicates address information to the next communication distribution device in the connected sequence of communication distribution devices via one of its first and second primary communication ports, the address information specifying that the next communication distribution device should assign itself a next communication address in the prescribed sequence of the first set of communication addresses and specifying the next available communication address in the prescribed sequence of the second set of communication addresses that is available to be assigned to the secondary devices connected to the next communication distribution device; and

transmitting address information from each communication distribution device in the connected sequence of communication distribution devices to the system controller, the address information specifying the communication addresses assigned to each communication distribution device and the communication addresses assigned to each of the secondary devices connected to each communication distribution device.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the secondary devices are arranged in prescribed physical positions and are connected to the secondary communication ports of the connected sequence of communication distribution devices in a prescribed arrangement, and wherein the communication distribution devices assign the communication addresses to the connected secondary devices in a prescribed sequence such that the communication addresses assigned to the secondary devices provide an indication of the physical positions of the secondary devices.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the production system is an inkjet printing system, wherein the secondary devices are control systems for corresponding jetting modules in the inkjet printing system, the jetting modules being arranged at different physical positions across a width of a web of receiver medium such that each jetting module prints on the web of receiver medium in a corresponding swath position, and wherein the communication address assigned to a particular secondary device provides an indication of the corresponding swath position associated with the jetting modules.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein if the first communication distribution device in the sequence of communication distribution devices is connected to the system controller via its first primary communication port the communication addresses for the secondary devices are assigned in an ascending sequence, and if the first communication distribution device in the sequence of communication distribution devices is connected to the system controller via its second primary communication port the communication addresses for the secondary devices are assigned in a descending sequence.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein if the communication addresses for the secondary devices are assigned in an ascending sequence they are assigned from a first subset of the second set of communication addresses, and if the communication addresses for the secondary devices are assigned in an descending sequence they are assigned from a second subset of the second set of communication addresses.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the communication distribution devices associate communication addresses with each of their secondary communication ports even if secondary devices are not connected to all of the secondary com

Assignees

• Eastman Kodak Co

Inventors

• Cleary Joseph P

Classifications

• B41J2002/033

  Continuous stream with droplets of different sizes · CPC title

• B41J2/105

  for binary-valued deflection · CPC title

• B41J2002/022

  Control methods or devices for continuous ink jet · CPC title

• B41J2/095

  electric field-control type · CPC title

• B41J2/09

  Deflection means · CPC title