Supplemental data processing system for processing ply-matching data generated during multiple-part product printing

• US 5,915,089 A
• Filed: 10/24/1996
• Issued: 06/22/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 01/13/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Moore Wallace
• Original Assignee: Wallace Computer Services, Inc. (RR Donnelley & Sons Company)
• Inventors: Graham, Raymond J., Stevens, Scott A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Peeso, Thomas R.
• Application Number:
  US08/740,121
• Time in Patent Office: 971 Days
• Field of Search: 364/469.03, 364/469.04, 364/478.01, 364/478.03, 364/478.07, 364/478.11-478.16, 270/52.02, 270/52.04, 270/52.07, 270/52.14, 270/52.15, 395/200.32, 395/200.49, 395/200.54, 395/200.57, 395/200.61
• US Class Current: 709/202
• CPC Class Codes: B42C 3/00 Making booklets, pads, or form sets from multiple webs
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 2220/01 indicating an entity as a function of which control, adjustment or change is performed, i.e. input
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 2301/4311 Making personalised books or mail packets according to personal, geographic or demographic data
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 2511/20 Location in space
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 2511/51 Presence
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 2511/512 Marks, e.g. invisible to the human eye; Patterns
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 2553/42 Cameras
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 39/02 Associating,collating or gathering articles from several sources
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 39/16 Associating two or more webs

Abstract

A data processing system is provided which can be connected to an existing ply matching and verification system for multiple-part printed products to perform a number of additional operations external to the matching and verification system. The data processing system is configured to access the data stream generated by the matching and verification system at two data points corresponding, respectively, to after indicia on a ply is detected and before it is stored for matching purposes, and after the indicia on all of the plies of a printed product has been stored in a buffer.

Claims

1. A data processing system for use with a ply matching and verification system for multiple-part printed products, the ply matching and verification system comprising a number of sensors for detecting indicia on each of a plurality of parts constituting a multiple-part printed product assembled using a collator, and a computer for receiving, storing and processing output data from the sensors that corresponds to detected indicia to determine if all of the plurality of parts have corresponding indicia, the data processing system comprising:

a processing circuit; and

a memory device connected to the processing circuit for storing program code and the output data;

wherein the processing circuit is programmed in accordance with said program code to establish a communication link with the computer, to receive the output data from the sensors via said communication link and to perform one of a plurality of operations comprising generating modified output data using the output data and forwarding said modified output data to the computer, and transmitting the output data unchanged to the computer, the computer being programmable to receive, depending on which of said plurality of operations said processing circuit performs, one of said modified output data and the output data via said communication link before processing said one of said modified output data and the output data to determine if all of the plurality of parts have corresponding indicia.

2. A data processing system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the computer comprises a computer bus, and said processing circuit is programmable to create said communication link by connecting to the computer bus.

3. A data processing system as claimed in claim 2, wherein the computer is programmed to store an address corresponding to said processing circuit and to initiate establishment of said communuication link by transmitting a signal to said processing circuit on said computer bus using said address.

4. A data processing system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the matching and verification system is equipped with a first communication interface circuit connected to the computer via a computer bus and said data processing system is remotely located with respect to the computer bus, said data processing system further comprising:

a second communication interface circuit connected to said processing circuit and to said first communication interface circuit to create said communication link, said communication link being selected from the group consisting of a hard-wired telecommunications link, a fiber optic link, a microwave link, a radio frqequency link, an infrared link, and an ultrasound link.

5. A data processing system as claimed in claim 4, wherein said computer is programmable to store an address corresponding to said data processing circuit and to initiate establishment of said communuication link by transmitting a signal to said processing circuit via said communication link using said address.

6. A data processing system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said processing circuit is a first processing device and further comprising at least one external control device selected from the group consisting of a sprayer, a sorter, a printer, a packaging device, a finishing device, a second processing device, an indicator, and a feeder, and connected to said processing circuit, said processing circuit being programmable to generate control signals for said external control device in accordance with the output data.

7. A data processing system as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a database engine connected to said processing circuit for accessing a database, said processing circuit being operable to receive the output data, to retreive selected data stored in the database and related to the output data, and to generate said modified output data using said selected data.

8. A data processing system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the computer is programmable to store said one of said modified output data and the output data in a buffer before processing to determine if the all of the plurality of parts have corresponding indicia, said processing circuit being programmable in accordance with said program code to establish a communication link with the computer to receive the contents of said buffer via said communication link, and to perform at least one of a plurality of operations comprising creating an audit trail relating to said printed product, transmitting at least part of the contents of said buffer to a printer connected to at least one of said processing circuit and the computer for reprinting a damaged one of said parts, controlling an external device connected to said processing circuit and selected from the group consisting of a sprayer, a sorter, a printer, a packaging device, a finishing device, a second processing device, an indicator, and a feeder in accordance with at least part of the contents of said buffer, and testing the integrity of indicia detection by the sensors in accordance with an operators specifications.

9. A data processing system for use with a ply matching and verification system for multiple-part printed products, the ply matching and verification system comprising a number of sensors for detecting indicia on each of a plurality of parts constituting a multiple-part printed product assembled using a collator, and a computer for receiving, storing and processing output data from the sensors that corresponds to detected indicia to determine if all of the plurality of parts have corresponding indicia, the data processing system comprising:

a processing circuit; and

a memory device connected to the processing circuit for storing program code and the output data;

wherein the computer is programmable to store the output data from each of the sensors in a buffer before processing to determine if the all of the plurality of parts have corresponding indicia, said processing circuit being programmable in accordance with said program code to establish a communication link with the computer, to receive the contents of said buffer via said communication link, and to perform at least one of a plurality of operations comprising creating an audit trail relating to said printed product, transmitting at least part of the contents of said buffer to a printer connected to at least one of said processing circuit and the computer for reprinting a damaged one of said parts, controlling an external device connected to said processing circuit and selected from the group consisting of a sprayer, a sorter, a printer, a packaging device, a finishing device, a second processing device, an indicator, and a feeder in accordance with at least part of the contents of said buffer, and testing the integrity of indicia detection by the sensors in accordance with programmably variable specifications.

10. A method of processing output data in a ply matching and verification system for multiple-part printed products which is generated by a number of sensors for detecting indicia on each of a plurality of parts constituting a multiple-part printed product assembled using a collator, the method comprising the steps of:

intercepting the output data generated from a first one of the sensors prior to storage of the output data in a buffer by a first processing circuit until the output data from all of the sensors is received;

transmitting said intercepted output data to a second processing circuit;

determining which of a first operation and a second operation to perform using said second processing circuit depending on which of said first and second operations is specified in program code for said second processing circuit;

generating modified output data using said intercepted output data and forwarding said modified output data to the first processing circuit if said first operation is specified in said program code;

transmitting said intercepted output data unchanged to the first processing circuit if said second operation is specified in said program code;

receiving one of said modified output data and said intercepted output data at said first processing circuit depending on which of said first and second operations is specified in said program code;

storing said one of said modified output data and said intercepted output data in a buffer;

repeating the intercepting step, the step of transmitting said intercepted output data to said second processing circuit, the determining step, the generating step, the step of transmitting said unchanged intercepted output data to said first processing circuit, said receiving step and said storing step for the output data from each of the sensors; and

processing said one of said modified output data and said intercepted output data to determine if all of the plurality of parts have corresponding indicia.

11. A method as claimed in claim 10, wherein said generating step comprises the steps of:

accessing a database using said second processing circuit;

retrieving selected data stored in said database depending on said output data; and

substituting said retrieved data for said intercepted output data at said first processing circuit for determining if all of the plurality of parts have corresponding indicia.

12. A method as claimed in claim 10, further comprising the step of controlling at least one external control device connected to said second processing circuit using at least one of said intercepted output data and said modified output data.

13. A method as claimed in claim 10, wherein said processing step further comprising the steps of:

transmitting data generated during said processing step to said second processing circuit; and

performing at least one of a plurality of operations using said second processing circuit, the plurality of operations comprising creating an audit trail relating to said printed product, transmitting at least part of the contents of said buffer to a printer connected to at least one of said first and second processing circuits for reprinting a damaged one of said parts, controlling an external device connected to said second processing circuit and selected from the group consisting of a sprayer, a sorter, a printer, a packaging device, a finishing device, a second processing device, an indicator, and a feeder in accordance with at least part of the contents of said buffer, and testing the integrity of indicia detection by the sensors in accordance with programmably variable specifications.