SYSTEM TO ENABLE USE OF PDL METADATA TO DRIVE PRINTING OUTCOMES

• US 20130016389A1
• Filed: 07/11/2011
• Published: 01/17/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 07/11/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Xerox Corporation (Xerox Holdings Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Xerox Corporation (Xerox Holdings Corp.)
• Inventors: Robinson, David C.
• Granted Patent: US 8,902,456 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 358/1.15
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1206 resulting in increased flexibility in input data format or job format or job type
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1243 Variable data printing, e.g. document forms, templates, labels, coupons, advertisements, logos, watermarks, transactional printing, fixed content versioning
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1247 by conversion to printer ready format
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1285 Remote printer device, e.g. being remote from client or server
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 15/1806 Receiving job control commands

Abstract

The present disclosure is directed toward method for enabling use of PDL metadata to drive printing outcomes. The method includes receiving a selection for a file in a first format. The method further includes parsing the file for metadata and displaying attributes included in the metadata. The method next assigns each attribute to a print-rendering condition. The method then provides the file in a second format.

Claims

1. A method for enabling use of PDL metadata to drive printing outcomes, the method comprising:

receiving a selection for a file in a first format;

parsing the file for metadata;

displaying attributes and values included in the metadata;

assigning at least one attribute to a print-rendering condition; and

,

providing a job ticket in a second format for interpreting the attributes and values extracted from the file.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein the first format is in PDF/VT format.

3. A method according to claim 1, wherein the second format is in JDF.

4. A method according to claim 1 further comprising:

receiving user-selections made for the at least one attribute included in the metadata;

displaying the at least one attribute; and

,

suppressing remaining attributes parsed from the file and not received as user-selections.

5. A method according to claim 1, wherein the providing the job ticket in the second format includes associating fixed data included in the file with a capability of a print rendering device.

6. A method according to claim 1 further comprising providing the file and the job ticket to a print rendering device.

7. A method according to claim 6 further comprising comparing the user-instructions with capabilities of the print rendering device.

8. A method according to claim 7 further comprising determining if the print attributes of the print rendering device are compatible with the print-rendering conditions assigned to the at least one attribute of the metadata.

9. A method according to claim 8 further comprising providing a predetermined override condition if the print attributes of the print rendering device are determined as not being compatible with the print-rendering conditions assigned in the job ticket.

10. A method according to claim 1 further comprising solving conditional logic by extracting information in fixed data included in the metadata and comparing the fixed data to a condition set in logic.

11. A method according to claim 8 further comprising decomposing the job ticket and file.

12. A method according to claim 9 further comprising:

determining if a value is included in the metadata for a first attribute associated with a print rendering condition in the job ticket; and

,

continuing to a next instruction if no value is extracted from the metadata.

13. A method of claim 1 further comprising receiving user-instructions for the assigning of the each attribute to the print-rendering condition.

14. A non-transitory computer readable medium adapted for performing the method of claim 1.

15. A system of rendering print output based on metadata, the system comprising:

parsing a file for instructions in metadata;

assigning a fixed data extracted from the metadata to a print-condition;

providing a modified job ticket associating the fixed data with the print-condition;

providing the modified job ticket to a print rendering device; and

providing an image of the file in a presentation format.

16. A system according to claim 15 further comprising:

providing the modified job ticket to a print rendering device; and

,

rendering a printout based on the modified job ticket.

17. A system according to claim 15, wherein metadata extracted during the parsing includes an attribute and value pair.

18. A system according to claim 17 further comprising:

assigning a first print-condition for a value under a threshold; and

,

assigning a second print-condition for a value above the threshold.

19. A system for providing a file including variable data in a presentation format, the system comprising:

a parser for extracting a metadata attribute from a formatted document;

a processor for assigning a first value of the metadata attribute to a first process for presenting the file and assigning a second value of the metadata attribute to a second process for presenting the file;

a job ticket writer for providing a job ticket including instructions for the first and second processes;

a decomposer for interpreting the instructions in the job ticket and the metadata attribute and values in the file; and

,

a means for providing a presentation of the file using at least one of the first and second processes.

20. A system according to claim 19 further including a graphic user interface for presenting a user with the metadata attribute, the first and second values, and the first and second processes on a display, the graphic user interface being further adapted to receive user-inputs made for associating one of the first and second values with a select one of the first and second processes.