Selective preview and proofing of documents or layouts containing variable data

• US 20050094205A1
• Filed: 07/14/2004
• Published: 05/05/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 10/15/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Brook, John Charles, Lo, Andrew James, Tonisson, Alan Valev, Patrick, Lachlan James
• Granted Patent: US 7,468,805 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 358/1.18
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/106 Display of layout of documents; Previewing
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/174 Form filling; Merging

Abstract

Methods and apparatus for proofing (644) a variable document intended for printing are disclosed in which a GUI (2000) is configured to allow user manipulation of layout rules associated with content containers within a template for variable document generation. Selective proofing (2100) involves proofing a plurality of variable data documents each formed from a common layout in which variable data content is placed into containers having locations and sizes within the layout and defined by layout rules. Measures of variation (2103, 2106) and measures of deviation (2109, 2110) are calculated. The measures of deviation are processed (2112) to give a deviation value. Once completed for each document, the deviation values of the documents are compared (2114) to identify at least one group of the documents for presentation for further assessment. Live proofing includes creating a layout (2002) for a variable data document based upon a template established in the GUI. A container (2010) is set in the template to form the layout, which is then modified to thereby generate an exemplary document by placing exemplary content into the container, wherein a dimension of the container and/or a position of the container are varied based upon a property of the placed content. The exemplary document is displayed in the layout via the GUI to enable visual proofing by the user.

Claims

1. A method of proofing a plurality of variable data documents each formed from a common layout in which variable data content is placed into one or more containers having locations and sizes within said layout defined by layout rules, said method comprising the steps of:

(a) assessing a plurality of measures of variation for each said container in each said document;

(b) determining the measure of a standard document generated from said common layout;

(c) comparing the measure of said determined standard document with the measure of said assessed plurality of measures; and

(d) presenting a document having at least one measure for which the compared result is larger among said assessed plurality of measures based on the result of said comparison.

2. A method according to claim 1 wherein step (b) comprises:

(ba) determining an average said measure of variation for each said container over all said documents;

(bb) for each said document;

(bba) calculating a measure of deviation for each said container from said corresponding average measure of variation using said corresponding assessed measure of variation;

(bbb) processing the measures of deviations to obtain a deviation value for said document; and

step (c) comprises comparing the deviation values of said documents to identify at least one group of said documents for presentation for further assessment.

3. A method according to claim 2 wherein said one group comprises documents possessing the largest of said deviation values.

4. A method according to claim 2 wherein said one group comprises documents possessing the smallest of said deviation values.

5. A method according to claim 2 wherein said measure of variation comprises a size of said container.

6. A method according to claim 2 wherein said size is determined as an area of said container by multiplying the corresponding height and width.

7. A method according to claim 2 wherein said size comprises a summation of the corresponding height and width of said container.

8. A method according to claim 2 wherein said measure of variation comprises a measure of edge positions of said container.

9. A method according to claim 5 wherein:

step (a) comprises determining both minimum and maximum container size for each said container in each said document; and

step (bba) comprises calculating a maximum size deviation for each said container from said corresponding average container size using said corresponding minimum and maximum container sizes.

10. A method according to claim 2 wherein step (bbb) comprises statistically summing the squares of the deviations to obtain said deviation measure for said document.

11. A method according to claim 2 wherein step (a) comprises performing layout calculations for each said container without rendering of content within said containers.

12. A method according to claim 2 wherein step (a) comprises computations over all edges of each said container.

13. A method according to claim 2 wherein step (c) comprises the sub-steps of:

(ca) ranking the measures of deviation from smallest to largest; and

(cb) selecting said one group as a determinable number of said documents from one extremity of the ranking.

14. A method according to claim 2 wherein said further assessment comprises manual examination of said group of documents.

15. A method according to claim 13 wherein said one extremity comprises those said documents having the largest of said deviation values, and step (d) comprises printing those one of said documents not being part of said one group.

16. A method according to claim 15 wherein said one group of documents are independently laid out.

17. A method according to claim 2 wherein said method steps are performed upon user instigation upon an established said layout.

18. A method according to claim 1 wherein

step (a) comprises assessing a size for each said container in each said document;

step (b) comprises summing the assessed sizes for each said document to obtain a measure of corresponding document size;

step (c) comprises ranking the measures in size order; and

step (d) presenting for further assessment at least one sub-set of said documents from said ranked measures.

19. A method according to claim 18 wherein said one sub-set is selected from the group consisting of:

(i) a predetermine number of smallest sized documents;

(ii) a predetermined number of largest sized documents; and

(iii) a predetermined number of centrally ranked documents representing an approximate average size of said documents.

20. A method according to claim 18 wherein said method steps are performed upon user instigation upon an established said layout.

21. A method according to claim 1 wherein

step (a) comprises assessing a size for each said container in each said document;

step (b) comprises summing the assessed sizes for each said document to obtain a printed size value for each said document;

step (c) comprises;

(ca) subtracting the printed size value from the corresponding document size to determine a white space value for each said document; and

(cb) ranking the white space values in order; and

step (d) comprises presenting for further assessment at least one sub-set of said ranked documents.

22. A method according to claim 21 wherein said method steps are performed upon user instigation upon an established said layout.

23. A method of creating a layout for a variable data document based upon a template, said method comprising the steps of:

(a) establishing the template in a graphical user interface;

(b) setting at least one container in the template to form said layout;

(c) modifying the layout to thereby generate an exemplary document by placing exemplary content into said at least one container, wherein at least one dimension of said least one container and/or a position of said at least one container in said layout are varied based upon at least a property of the placed content; and

(d) displaying said exemplary document in said layout via said graphical user interface.

24. A method according to claim 23 further comprising the step of:

(e) modifying the layout by varying a feature of said at least one container in said layout; and

(f) repeating steps (c) and (d) to display the modified exemplary document.

25. A method according to claim 24 wherein the varying comprises setting a constraint upon at least one feature of said at least one container.

26. A method according to claim 25 wherein said constraint is selected from the group consisting of:

(i) a constraint between said one container and a print margin of a page in which said container is placed;

(ii) a constraint relating to a size of said one container; and

(iii) a constraint relating said feature of said one container with a feature of another said container in said layout.

27. A method according to claim 23 wherein said exemplary content comprises a single record of content selected by a user from a set of records of content from which a corresponding set of variable data documents is to be formed.

28. A computer readable medium having a computer program recorded thereon, said program being adapted to make a computer execute a procedure to proof a plurality of variable data documents each formed from a common layout in which variable data content is placed into one or more containers having locations and sizes within said layout defined by layout rules, said program comprising:

code for assessing a plurality of measures of variation for each said container in each said document;

code for determining the measure of a standard document generated from said common layout

code for comparing the measure of said determined standard document with the measure of said assessed plurality of measures; and

code for presenting a document having at least one measure for which the compared result is larger among said assessed plurality of measures based on the result of said comparison.

29. A computer readable medium having a computer program recorded thereon, said program being adapted to make a computer execute a procedure to create a layout for a variable data document based upon a template, said program comprising:

code for establishing the template in a graphical user interface;

code for setting at least one container in the template to form said layout;

code for modifying the layout to thereby generate an exemplary document by placing exemplary content into said at least one container, wherein at least one dimension of said least one container and/or a position of said at least one container in said layout are varied based upon at least a property of the placed content; and

code for displaying said exemplary document in said layout via said graphical user interface.

30. Computer apparatus for proofing a plurality of variable data documents each formed from a common layout in which variable data content is placed into one or more containers having locations and sizes within said layout defined by layout rules, said apparatus comprising:

means for assessing a plurality of measures of variation for each said container in each said document;

means for determining the measure of a standard document generated from said common layout;

means for comparing the measure of said determined standard document with the measure of said assessed plurality of measures; and

means for presenting a document having at least one measure for which the compared result is larger among said assessed plurality of measures based on the result of said comparison.

31. Computer apparatus for creating a layout for a variable data document based upon a template, said apparatus comprising:

means for establishing the template in a graphical user interface;

means for setting at least one container in the template to form said layout;

means for modifying the layout to thereby generate an exemplary document by placing exemplary content into said at least one container, wherein at least one dimension of said least one container and/or a position of said at least one container in said layout are varied based upon at least a property of the placed content; and

means for displaying said exemplary document in said layout via said graphical user interface.