Wireless workflow system
First Claim
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1. A wireless workflow system for a print shop including a plurality of printing components comprises:
- a workflow controller;
a plurality of positioning systems, a one of the positioning systems being associated with each printing component; and
a wireless local area network providing communications between the workflow controller and each positioning system, whereby each positioning system provides a relative position of the associated printing component to the workflow controller.
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Abstract
A wireless workflow system for a print shop having multiple printing components includes a workflow controller and a positioning systems associated with each printing component. A wireless local area network provides communications between the workflow controller and each positioning system, such that each positioning system provides a relative position of the associated printing component to the workflow controller.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A wireless workflow system for a print shop including a plurality of printing components comprises:
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a workflow controller;
a plurality of positioning systems, a one of the positioning systems being associated with each printing component; and
a wireless local area network providing communications between the workflow controller and each positioning system, whereby each positioning system provides a relative position of the associated printing component to the workflow controller. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A method of managing a print shop having a plurality of equipment assets, the method comprising:
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maintaining an inventory database of the equipment assets by determining a position of each equipment asset with a positioning system associated with the equipment asset, and storing position information for each equipment asset in the inventory database; and
planning a print job utilizing the inventory database. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A method of managing a print shop having a plurality of equipment assets, the method comprising:
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periodically querying the positioning system of each print shop equipment asset over a wireless local area network;
receiving data from each positioning system over the wireless local area network in response to the query, the data including location information and identification information for the associated equipment asset; and
determining whether an inventory database contains a record for the equipment asset associated with the identification information and adding a new record and storing the identification information and location information for the equipment asset in the new record, if the inventory database does not include a record for the equipment asset associated with the identification information, or updating the location information if the inventory database includes a record for the equipment asset associated with the identification information, and the location information received from the positioning system is not identical to location information stored in the record.
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20. A method of managing a print shop having a plurality of equipment assets, the method comprising:
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maintaining an inventory database of the equipment assets;
determining what types of print shop components are required to perform the print job;
querying the inventory database to determine what print shop component assets qualify as a required type of component;
accessing a print job planner to determine the availability of the qualifying component assets;
assigning available qualifying component assets to the print job in the print job planner;
outputting a job description from the print job planner; and
executing the job description in a workflow controller.
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Specification