Copy waiting machine interrupt slot mode

Claim 1

In an electronic image processing apparatus having a plurality of image processing resources for reproducing Images including a controller with a user interface for directing the operation of the image processing resources, the user interface including a machine Interrupt feature and a copy wait feature, both the machine interrupt feature and the copy wait feature being capable of suspending a job in process, saving status of the job in process, completing a second job, and resuming the job in process from the point of suspension, an automatic document handler for cycling a set of documents to be copied, a document slot for receiving individual documents to be copied, a method of rapid machine interrupt of a job in process independent of the machine interrupt feature, the job in process having documents in the automatic document handler, comprising the steps of: inserting a document in the document slot, activating the copy wait feature, the controller automatically determining if the job in process will be completed in a time period greater than a given time period, detecting the document present at the document slot selecting the number of copies desired, and enabling a machine start button whereby copies of the document in the document slot are produced without the need to recycle the documents in the automatic document handler.