AUTOMATED COVER-DRIVEN WORKFLOWS FOR MANUFACTURING BOOKS IN A PRODUCTION ENVIRONMENT

• US 20080273945A1
• Filed: 07/15/2008
• Published: 11/06/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 03/31/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Xerox Corporation (Xerox Holdings Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Xerox Corporation (Xerox Holdings Corp.)
• Inventors: Evan, Michael, LEVINE, Jonathan
• Granted Patent: US 7,758,036 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 412/1
• CPC Class Codes: B42C 11/02 Machines or equipment for casing-in or applying covers to pamphlets, magazines, pads, or other paper-covered booklets B42C11/06 takes precedence

Abstract

A cover-driven book production method and system are disclosed. The method of cover-driven book production includes providing a plurality of book covers. The book covers can be identified using, for example, a scanner. A book block can then be retrieved from a book repository based on the identified cover. After performing raster image processing (RIP) of the book block, copies of the book block can be printed. Finishing can be accomplished by binding the printed book blocks to the book covers using an in-line binder or off-line binder.

Claims

1. A method of book production comprising:

instructing a first digital front end to retrieve an electronic file corresponding to a book cover from a book repository;

exchanging information relating to the book cover electronic file between the first digital front end and a second digital front end information relating to the book cover electronic file to determine which book block to retrieve from the book repository;

retrieving a book block file from the book repository corresponding to the book cover;

printing a plurality of copies of the book cover and a plurality of copies of the book block; and

forming a plurality of books by binding the plurality of copies of the book block to the plurality of copies the cover.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising transporting the printed plurality of book covers to a book block printer, the book block printer being disposed in-line with a binder.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising transporting the printed plurality of book covers and the printed plurality of book blocks to an binder disposed off-line from the book-block printer.

4. A book production system comprising:

a book repository;

a first digital front end (DFE) that drives a cover printer, wherein the first DFE receives cover information from the book repository; and

a second DFE that drives a book block printer, wherein the second DFE receives book block information from the book repository, and

wherein the book block printer retrieves a corresponding book block from the book repository based on identification of a cover.

5. The book production system of claim 4, further comprising a line of communication between the first DFE and the second DFE to exchange information on retrieving the corresponding book block based on identification of the cover.

6. The book production system of claim 4, further comprising a binder disposed in-line with the book block printer, the in-line binder configured to receive covers and copies of book blocks from the book block printer.

7. The book production system of claim 4, further comprising a binder disposed off-line from the book block printer, the off-line binder comprising a tray for loading covers and a tray for loading copies of book blocks.

8. The book production system of claim 4, wherein the book block printer comprises a bypass tray for accepting covers.

9. The book production system of claim 4, wherein the book block printer further comprises a scanner to facilitate identification of the cover.

10. The book production system of claim 9, wherein the scanner scans one or more of barcodes, data glyphs, and images.

11. The book production system of claim 4, further comprising a hand-held scanner to facilitate identification of the cover.

12. A book production system comprising:

a book repository;

a first digital front end (DFE) that drives a cover printer, wherein the first DFE receives cover information from the book repository;

a second DFE that drives a book block printer, wherein the second DFE receives book block information from the book repository; and

program code to control the first DFE and the second DFE, wherein the program code determines when a book block should be sent to the second DFE from the book repository based on a communication from the first DFE.

13. The book production system of claim 12, wherein the program code is configured to send a book block to the second DFE after a printed cover is loaded into a bypass tray of the book block printer and scanned.

14. The book production system of claim 12, wherein the program code is configured to send a book block to the second DFE based on a printing status of the cover printer.