Automated typesetting system

• US 6,882,441 B1
• Filed: 10/28/1999
• Issued: 04/19/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 10/28/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: On-Line Print Services, LLC
• Original Assignee: On-Line Print Services, LLC
• Inventors: Fontana, Joseph L. Sr., Faust, Steven D., Gagne, Jeffrey S., Fontana, Daniel A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Coles, Edward
• Assistant Examiner(s): RAHIMI, IRAJ A
• Application Number:
  US09/429,196
• Time in Patent Office: 2,000 Days
• Field of Search: 358/1.18, 707/104, 707/517, 707/507, 707/508
• US Class Current: 358/1.18
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/103 Formatting, i.e. changing of presentation of documents automatic justification G06F40/189; automatic line break hyphenation G06F40/191
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/186 Templates
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99945 Object-oriented database structure processing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99948 Application of database or data structure, e.g. distributed, multimedia, or image

Abstract

An automated typesetting system is disclosed for use in the production of commercially-printed products, such as engraved, embossed, or lithographed letterhead, envelopes, business cards, and the like. The automated typesetting system is a computerized system for accurately and efficiently typesetting copy and includes a graphic template containing text and object blocks and a database containing information to be populated into the template blocks as well as instructions on how to format each of the blocks. Information from the database is optionally electronically proofchecked, populated into the template fields, formatted and typeset according to design specifications, arranged in maximally-efficient production format, and sent to print. The system may be interactively coupled with an order tracking, billing, shipping, and inventory control system.

Claims

1. An automated typesetting system used to produce a commercially-printed product according to a customer'"'"'s corporate identity specifications, comprising:

means for creating, designing, storing, accessing, and updating an electronic graphic template of said product according to said customer'"'"'s corporate identity specifications;

means for creating, designing, programming, storing, accessing, and updating an electronic database file, wherein said database file is programmed to receive and store populating data used to populate said electronic graphic template and said database file is further programmed with instructions and parameters used to format said populating data on said electronic graphic template according to said customer'"'"'s corporate identity specifications;

means for inputting said populating data into said database file as database records;

means for automatically populating said populating data into said electronic graphic template; and

means for automatically formatting said populating data on said electronic graphic template according to said customer'"'"'s corporate identity specifications to form a populated and formatted template.

2. The automated typesetting system of claim 1 further comprising a means for automatically producing production-ready output using said populated and formatted template to produce said commercially-printed product.

3. The automated typesetting system of claim 1 or 2, in which said electronic graphic template is comprised of at least one block designed to contain populating data in the form of text or graphics.

4. The automated typesetting system of claim 1 or 2, in which said database file is comprised of at least one field designed to contain populating data and at least one field designed to contain instructions and parameters used to format said populating data on said electronic graphic template according to said customer'"'"'s corporate identity specifications.

5. The automated typesetting system of claim 1 or 2, in which said means for creating designing, storing, accessing, and updating said electronic graphic template comprises a computer software program and said means for creating, designing, programming, storing, accessing, and updating said electronic database file comprises a computer software program.

6. The automated typesetting system of claim 1 or 2, in which said means for inputting said populating data into said database file as database records comprises:

a Web site programmed to receive said populating data; and

a populating data import means for automatically importing said populating data into said database file as database records.

7. The automated typesetting system of claim 1 or 2 further comprising a means for electronically proofchecking and correcting said populating data prior to automatically populating said populating data into said electronic graphic template.

8. The automated typesetting system of claim 1 or 2, in which said means for automatically populating said populating data into said electronic graphic template further comprises a means for fully populating said electronic graphic template should said populating data not fully populate said electronic graphic template.

9. The automated typesetting system of claim 1 or 2 interactively coupled with an automated order tracking, billing, shipping, and inventory control system.