Method for arranging a prepress workflow

• US 6,624,908 B1
• Filed: 10/01/1999
• Issued: 09/23/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 10/01/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Global Graphics Software, Inc. (Global Graphics Plc)
• Original Assignee: Global Graphics Software, Inc. (Global Graphics Plc)
• Inventors: Petchenkine, Andri P., Liamkin, Eugene A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Garcia, Gabriel
• Application Number:
  US09/411,367
• Time in Patent Office: 1,453 Days
• Field of Search: 358/1.1, 358/1.2, 358/1.4, 358/1.5, 358/1.8, 358/1.9, 358/1.12, 358/1.15, 358/1.18, 345/326, 345/335, 345/339, 345/340, 345/347, 345/763, 345/736, 345/841, 345/843, 700/83, 701/117, 701/208, 101/211, 101/179, 101/217, 101/471, 101/483, 101/492
• US Class Current: 358/1.15
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling

Abstract

A method of the present invention arranges a prepress workflow by loading a prepress memory manager on a local computer as a result of user input. A graphical user interface is displayed and includes a prepress system design palette having interlinked module icons representative of different prepress hardware and/or software distributed object modules wherein a scan module icon is a first module icon among the interlinked module icons representative of a distributed object scan module that initially receives data for the prepress workflow. The workflow is directed among the prepress hardware and/or software distributed object modules based on the type of data entering the distributed object scan module.

Claims

1. A method of arranging a prepress workflow comprising the steps of:

loading a prepress memory manager on a local computer as a result of user input such that a graphical user interface is displayed and includes a prepress system design palette having a plurality of interlinked module icons each representative of a different prepress hardware and/or software distributed object modules, wherein a scan module icon is a first module icon among the interlinked module icons representative of a distributed object scan module that initially receives data for the prepress workflow; and

directing a desired prepress workflow among the prepress hardware and/or software distributed object modules based on the type of data entering the distributed object scan module.

2. A method according to claim 1, and further comprising the step of establishing from the distributed object scan module a desired prepress workflow among the prepress hardware and/or software distributed object modules into a desired terminal device.

3. A method according to claim 1, and further comprising the step of converting data within the distributed object scan module into a format that can be used by subsequent distributed object modules contained within the workflow.

4. A method according to claim 1, and further comprising the step of dragging the scan module icon from a modules toolbar into the system design palette.

5. A method according to claim 1, and further comprising the step of configuring the distributed object scan module by opening a scan module setup window.

6. A method according to claim 5, wherein the scan module setup window is opened by clicking a mouse button when a pointer is entered on the scan module icon.

7. A method of arranging a prepress workflow comprising the steps of:

loading a prepress memory manager on a local computer as a result of a user input such that a graphical user interface is displayed and includes a prepress system design palette;

selecting module icons representing desired prepress hardware and/or software distributed object modules to be used in a prepress workflow into the prepress system design palette, said module icons including at least one scan module icon representative of a distributed object scan module that initially receives data for the prepress workflow;

linking the module icons from the at least one scan module icon based on user input in the order which represents how the prepress workflow proceeds from the distributed object scan module along the hardware and/or software distributed object modules represented by the module icons; and

directing a desired prepress workflow among the prepress hardware and/or software distributed object modules based on the type of data entering the distributed object scan module.

8. A method according to claim 7, and further comprising the step of establishing from the distributed object scan module a desired prepress workflow among the prepress hardware and/or software distributed object modules into a desired terminal device.

9. A method according to claim 7, and further comprising the step of converting data within the distributed object scan module into a format that can be used by subsequent distributed object modules contained within the workflow.

10. A method according to claim 7, and further comprising the step of dragging the scan module icon from a modules toolbar into the system design palette.

11. A method according to claim 7, and further comprising the step of configuring the distributed object scan module by opening a scan module setup window.

12. A method according to claim 11, wherein the scan module setup window is opened by clicking a mouse button when a pointer is entered on the scan module icon.

13. A method according to claim 7, and further comprising the step of launching a prepress memory manager at a remote computer based on user input at the local computer and outputting the prepress workflow to an output device located at the remote computer.

14. A method according to claim 7, and further comprising the step of configuring a desired hardware and/or software distributed object module based on user input by selecting a module icon representing the desired prepress hardware and/or software distributed object module to be configured by user selecting a dialog box corresponding to the desired hardware and/or software distributed object module and inputting information within the dialog box.

15. A method according to claim 7, and further comprising the step of dragging the module icons into the system design palette with a user selected pointer tool and linking the module icons once positioned within the system design palette with a user selected linking tool.

16. A method of arranging a prepress workflow comprising the steps of:

loading a prepress memory manager on a local computer as a result of user input such that a graphical user interface is displayed and includes a prepress system design palette having a plurality of interlinked module icons each representative of a different prepress hardware and/or software distributed object module, wherein a scan module icon is a first module icon among the interlinked module icons representative of a distributed object scan module that initially receives data for the prepress workflow;

determining available memory within the local computer from the distributed object scan module and allowing subsequent processing of data within the workflow from the distributed object scan module if sufficient memory is available; and

directing a desired prepress workflow among the prepress hardware and/or software distributed object modules based on the type of data entering the distributed object scan module.

17. A method according to claim 16, and further comprising the step of establishing the distributed object scan module a desired prepress workflow among the prepress hardware and/or software distributed object modules into a desired terminal device.

18. A method according to claim 16, and further comprising the step of converting data within the distributed object scan module into a format that can be used by subsequent distributed object modules contained within the workflow.

19. A method according to claim 16, wherein the step of determining memory further comprises the step of determining hard disk usage that can be used as temporary storage of files and virtual memory.

20. A method according to claim 16, and further comprising the step of dragging the scan module icon from a modules toolbar into the system design palette.

21. A method according to claim 16, and further comprising the step of configuring the distributed object scan module by opening a scan module setup window.

22. A method according to claim 21, wherein the scan module setup window is opened by clicking a mouse button when a pointer is entered on the scan module icon.

23. A method of configuring a prepress workflow comprising the steps of:

loading a prepress memory manager on a local computer as a result of a user input such that a graphical user interface is displayed and includes a prepress system design palette;

selecting module icons representing desired prepress hardware and/or software distributed object modules to be used in a prepress workflow into the prepress system design palette, said module icons including at least one scan module icon representative of a distributed object scan module that initially receives data for the prepress workflow;

linking the module icons from the at least one scan module icon based on user input in the order which represents how the prepress workflow proceeds from the distributed object scan module along the hardware and/or software distributed object modules represented by the module icons;

determining available memory within the local computer from the distributed object scan module and allowing subsequent processing of data within the workflow from the distributed object scan module if sufficient memory is available; and

directing a desired prepress workflow among the prepress hardware and/or software distributed object modules based on the type of data entering the distributed object scan module.

24. A method according to claim 23, and further comprising the step of establishing from the distributed object scan module a desired prepress workflow among the prepress hardware and/or software distributed object modules into a desired terminal device.

25. A method according to claim 23, and further comprising the step of converting data within the distributed object scan module into a format that can be used by subsequent distributed object modules contained within the workflow.

26. A method according to claim 23, wherein the step of determining memory further comprises the step of determining hard disk usage that can be used as temporary storage of files and virtual memory.

27. A method according to claim 23, and further comprising the step of dragging the scan module icon from a modules toolbar into the system design palette.

28. A method according to claim 23, and further comprising the step of configuring the distributed object scan module by opening a scan module setup window.

29. A method according to claim 28, wherein the scan module setup window is opened by clicking a mouse button when a pointer is entered on the scan module icon.

30. A method according to claim 23, and further comprising the step of launching a prepress memory manager at a remote computer based on user input at the local computer and outputting the prepress workflow to an output device located at the remote computer.

31. A method according to claim 23, and further comprising the step of configuring a desired hardware and/or software distributed object module based on user input by selecting a module icon representing the desired prepress hardware and/or software distributed object module to be configured by user selecting a dialog box corresponding to the desired hardware and/or software distributed object module and inputting information within the dialog box.

32. A method according to claim 23, and further comprising the step of dragging the module icons into the system design palette with a user selected pointer tool and linking the module icons once positioned within the system design palette with a user selected linking tool.