Recording Medium Processing Apparatus Inspection Routing

The patent applies local quality by differentiating the handling of recording media based on their specific characteristics. Instead of uniform removal of all defective media, the system identifies and treats specific media types differently - functionally sound media with minor defects are retained while actually defective media are removed. This localized differentiation resolves the contradiction by maintaining inspection reliability for critical defects while preserving productivity for media that meet functional requirements.

The patent changes the parameter of inspection criteria from a binary pass/fail approach to a multi-level assessment system. By introducing a predetermined condition that allows for graded evaluation of media quality, the system can distinguish between critical failures requiring removal and minor defects that do not affect functionality. This parameter change enables simultaneous achievement of reliable inspection and high productivity.

The patent segments the processing system into distinct functional paths: a first path for functionally sound media with minor defects and a second path for actually defective media. This segmentation is achieved through the inspection unit's ability to categorize media based on their defect characteristics, allowing each segment to receive appropriate processing without requiring complex integrated systems. The segmentation maintains processing consistency within each group while managing overall system complexity.

The patent introduces dynamic control in the processing system through the transport unit's ability to route media to different destinations based on inspection results. The system dynamically adjusts processing paths in real-time based on the specific characteristics of each recording medium, rather than following a fixed uniform process. This dynamic approach maintains consistency for media meeting criteria while simplifying the overall system by using conditional routing rather than complex parallel processing architecture.