Importance

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Abstract

In a system for recirculative precollation copying of a set of simplex document sheets in reverse serial order on a copier providing a choice of precollated simplex or duplex (two-sided) copy sheet copying, more efficient duplex copying without an initial document counting circulation is provided by assuming that the copy sheets selected for duplex copying are non-orientation sensitive copy sheets such as plain paper (rather than special orientation restricted copy sheets requiring consistent inversion for proper output or binding edge orientation, such as sheets prepunched with binder holes, certain preprinted sheets, etc.) by making an initial assumption as to whether there are an odd or even number of simplex document sheets in the set of document sheets before they are counted, by making a selection of whether it is desired to copy odd or even document sheets in the first circulation of the document set for copying, then, in response to this initial assumption and selection and choice of duplex copying, automatically circulating the set of document sheets for copying onto copy sheets on the first circulation of the document set before they have been counted, wherein the copying of document sheets on the first circulation is restricted to copying only alternate document sheets in accordance with the assumption and selection, counting the number of document sheets during the first copying circulation to actually determine whether there are an odd or even number, then automatically in the second circulation, in response to this actual determination, copying only the other alternate document sheets (not copied in the first circulation) twice (onto two copy sheets) if the initial assumption was erroneous, or automatically copying all of the document sheets once if the initial assumption was correct. Ones of the two copies of document sheets copied twice in the second circulation are made on the back side of copy sheets copied in the first circulation, and the others of the two copies are made onto additional copy sheets to provide a desired buffer set thereof (preferably of only even pages) enabling duplex copying of all document sheets on subsequent circulations of the document set. The initial assumption and selection are preferably made to avoid ever copying a last (first copied) odd document sheet in the first circulation by copying only the next-to-last and subsequent alternate document sheets.

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First Claim