Automated printing control system
First Claim
1. A telecommunications system for automated control of the printing of a work by a printing facility from a requester at a location remote from the printing facility comprising:
- a first terminal for use by a printing requester for receiving from the requester information concerning printing parameters necessary to forecast at least the cost required to manufacture a printed work;
a second terminal located at the printing facility for receiving from the printing facility pricing and administrative information concerning the printing of a work; and
a programmed computer having a memory means for storing at least a set of printing rules, and input/output means, the computer being in communication with the first and second terminals, the computer including means for interacting with the printing requester by a series of queries and responses for receiving and storing in said memory means said printing parameters, for comparing said printing parameters with the stored printing rules and for informing the requester if a rule is violated through the first terminal via the input/output means, the computer including means for transmitting the printing parameter information necessary to forecast the cost required to manufacture the printed work to the second terminal for use by the printing facility, the computer further including means responsive to said remotely input printing parameters and interacting with the printing facility by a series of queries and responses through the second terminal via the input/output means for receiving and storing in the memory means pricing and administrative information concerning the printing of the work, and means for transmitting selected pricing and administrative information to the first terminal for use by the printing requester, the first terminal including means for displaying the selected pricing and administrative information to the printing requester and means for permitting the requester at the remote location to select whether to proceed with the printing of the work by the printing facility based upon the pricing and administrative information.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A system for automated control of the printing of a work comprises a first terminal adapted for use by a printing requester for receiving from the requester a informaton concerning parameters for the printing of the work. A second terminal is adapted for use by a printing facility for receiving from the printing facility pricing and administrative information concerning the printing of a work. A programmed computer having a memory and input/output means is provided in communication with the first and second terminals. The computer interacts with the printing requester through the first terminal for receiving and storing the printing parameter information. The computer interacts with the printing facility for receiving and storing pricing and administrative information concerning the printing of the work. The pricing and administrative information is transmitted to the first terminal for use by the printing requester.
270 Citations
64 Claims
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1. A telecommunications system for automated control of the printing of a work by a printing facility from a requester at a location remote from the printing facility comprising:
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a first terminal for use by a printing requester for receiving from the requester information concerning printing parameters necessary to forecast at least the cost required to manufacture a printed work; a second terminal located at the printing facility for receiving from the printing facility pricing and administrative information concerning the printing of a work; and a programmed computer having a memory means for storing at least a set of printing rules, and input/output means, the computer being in communication with the first and second terminals, the computer including means for interacting with the printing requester by a series of queries and responses for receiving and storing in said memory means said printing parameters, for comparing said printing parameters with the stored printing rules and for informing the requester if a rule is violated through the first terminal via the input/output means, the computer including means for transmitting the printing parameter information necessary to forecast the cost required to manufacture the printed work to the second terminal for use by the printing facility, the computer further including means responsive to said remotely input printing parameters and interacting with the printing facility by a series of queries and responses through the second terminal via the input/output means for receiving and storing in the memory means pricing and administrative information concerning the printing of the work, and means for transmitting selected pricing and administrative information to the first terminal for use by the printing requester, the first terminal including means for displaying the selected pricing and administrative information to the printing requester and means for permitting the requester at the remote location to select whether to proceed with the printing of the work by the printing facility based upon the pricing and administrative information. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53)
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- 44. A system according to claim 44 wherein the second terminal receives job status data and transmits the job status data to the programmed computer via the input/output means, the programmed computer further including means for receiving the job status data from the second terminal and storing the job status data in the job status file.
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54. A system for automated estimation of the costs of printing a work comprising:
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a terminal having a display for use by an estimate requester for receiving from the requester information concerning printing parameters necessary to forecast at least the cost required to manufacture the printed work and pricing and administrative information concerning the printing of the work; and a programmed computer having memory means for storing at least a set of printing rules and input/output means, the computer being in communication with the terminal through the input output means, the computer including means for interacting with the estimate requester by a series of queries and responses through the terminal for receiving and storing in the memory printing parameter, pricing and administrative information, the computer further including means for comparing said printing parameter information with the stored rules and for informing the requester if a rule is violated and for estimating the costs of printing the work in accordance with the printing parameters, and means for transmitting the estimated costs via the input/output means to the terminal for display to the estimate requester. - View Dependent Claims (55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60)
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61. A process for automated control of the printing of a work by a printing facility at a location remote from a printing requester comprising:
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receiving from a printing requester by a series of queries and responses information concerning parameters necessary to forecast at least the cost required for the printing of the work; storing at least a set of printing rules, and the information concerning the parameters necessary to forecast at least the cost required for the printing of the work in a programmed computer having a memory and input/output means; comparing the information concerning the parameters with the printing rules and informing the requester if a rule is violated; transmitting the printing parameter information necessary to forecast the cost required to manufacture the printed work from the computer to the printing facility; receiving from a printing facility by a series of queries and responses and storing in the computer pricing and administrative information concerning the printing of the work; transmitting at least a portion of the pricing an administrative information concerning the printing of the work to the printing requester; and selecting whether to proceed with the pricing of the work by the printing facility based upon the received pricing and administrative information. - View Dependent Claims (62, 63)
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64. A telecommunications system for automated control of the printing of a work by a printing facility from a requester at a location remote from the printing facility comprising:
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a first terminal at a location remote from a printing facility for use by a printing requester for receiving from the requester information concerning printing parameters necessary to forecast at least the cost required to manufacture the printed work; a plurality of second terminals, one such second terminal located at each of a plurality of printing facilities for receiving from the respective printing facility pricing and administrative information concerning the printing of a work; and a programmed computer having memory means for storing at least a set of printing rules and input/output means, the computer being in communication with the first terminal and with each of the second terminals, the computer including means for interacting with the printing requester by a series of queries and responses through the first terminal via the input/output means, for receiving and storing in the memory means for printing parameters, for comparing said printing parameters with the stored printing rules and for informing the requester if a rule is violated, the computer including means for transmitting the printing parameter information necessary to forecast the cost required to manufacture the printed work to each of the second terminals for use by the printing facilities, the computer further including means responsive to the printing parameters and interacting with the printing facilities by a series of queries and responses through the respective second terminals, via the input/output means, for receiving and storing in the memory means pricing and administrative information concerning the printing of the work by each of the printing facilities and means for transmitting at least a portion of the pricing and administrative information for each of the printing facilities to the first terminal for use by the printing requester, the first terminal including means for displaying the received pricing and administrative information for each of the printing facilities and means for permitting the requester, at the remote location, to select whether to proceed with the printing of the work and to select the printing facility which is to print the work.
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Specification