Method for remotely downloading information for printing

• US 7,194,525 B1
• Filed: 10/03/2000
• Issued: 03/20/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 10/04/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Memopage.Com Co.
• Original Assignee: Memopage Com
• Inventors: Prost, Bernard, Noailles, Patrice
• Primary Examiner(s): Wiley; David
• Assistant Examiner(s): DENNISON, JERRY B
• Application Number:
  US10/089,822
• Time in Patent Office: 2,359 Days
• Field of Search: 709/201, 709/203, 709/219, 709/220, 709/223, 709/239, 358/1.1
• US Class Current: 709/219
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 5/00 Electrically-operated educational appliances working with questions and answers G09B7/00; simulators G09B9/00; advertising or displaying in general G09F
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 5/06 with both visual and audible presentation of the material to be studied
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 7/00 Electrically-operated teaching apparatus or devices working with questions and answers mechanically operated G09B3/00; computing arrangements G06F

Abstract

The invention concerns a method for diffusing data contained in a computer database (2) in a form that can be easily transported and handled by a user (5). The method comprises steps which consist in: breaking down the data contained in the base (1) into units comprising each a predetermined number of signs; transmitting said units, in particular via a server (2) and a communication network (6), to a computer equipment (3) connected to a printer (3b); downloading into said equipment (3), in particular via said network (6), printing software means (2a) for printing with said printer (3b) a memo (7) in the form of a booklet of four pages. Thus the user (5) can access online said units, select those containing data of interest to him and command the printing thereof in the form of a booklet of four pages which can be easily carried.

Claims

1. Process for distributing information contained in a computer database in an easily transportable form, the process comprising the steps of:

partitioning the information contained in the database into units of equal size each with a predetermined number of symbols that can be printed on a single sheet of paper in the form of a four-page booklet, on a server computer,

transmitting the units from the server and through a computer communication network from a medium on which the information is saved, to client computer equipment, separate from the server computer, the client computer equipment being connected to a printer;

activating the client computer equipment and the printer via a sequence of menus to access the units on line from the server computer, to select the units containing the information in which the user is interested, and to control printing of these units on a printable medium using the printer,

the process further comprising a step of loading, or downloading a software printing process which includes the steps of formatting each unit of the retrieved information on a single sheet of paper in the form of a four-page booklet and controlling the printer to print the information in the form of the four-page booklet, wherein the software printing process includes the steps of;

breaking down the symbols contained in each unit into four frames ordinally numbered first to fourth following an order of the pages of the booklet, and

laying out the four frames on a front side of the sheet of paper such that the first and third frames are located on one diagonal of the sheet, and the second and fourth frames are located on an other diagonal of the sheet.

2. Process according to claim 1, further including the steps of:

folding the sheet by rotating the second and third frames by 180°

from the first and fourth frames,

whereby the user will have a four-page booklet after folding.

3. Process according to claim 2, wherein:

the sheet is a rectangular sheet and,

if the booklet is in landscape format, the folding step includes the step of folding the printed sheet along a first fold line approximately in a median line parallel to a longer side of the sheet,

if the booklet is in portrait format, the folding step includes the step of folding the printed sheet along a first fold line approximately in a median line parallel to a shorter side of the sheet,

whereby after the folding step, the first fold fixes the first and fourth pages as outside pages and the second and third pages as inside pages.

4. Process according to any one of claims 1 to 3, such that the software printing process also comprises a step of printing advertising messages in predetermined locations the predetermined locations being arranged at least one of vertically, in the margins of the frames, or in the fourth frame.

5. A system for distributing information contained in a computer database in an easily transportable form comprising:

means for dividing the information into units each unit having a predetermined number of symbols that can be printed on a single sheet of paper in the form of a four-page booklet;

client computer equipment coupled to a global information network and accessible to the user;

a server, separate from the client computer equipment and connected through the global information network to the database and the computer equipment such that the user can access the units on line and select those units containing information in which the user is interested,

a printer connected to the client computer equipment;

wherein the client computer equipment includes at least one control device that is employed by the user to activate the computer equipment and the printer and to activate optional menus, whereby the user controls printing of the units on a printable medium;

software printout means configured to be loaded or downloaded into the computer equipment;

the software printout means being configured to break down the symbols contained in each unit into four frames ordinally numbered first to fourth following an order of the pages of the booklet, to lay out the four frames on a front side of the sheet of paper such that the first and third frames are located on one diagonal of the sheet, and the second and fourth frames are located on an other diagonal of the sheet and to print each unit of the information selected by the user as a memo in the form of a four-page booklet on a single sheet of paper, using the printer.

6. System according to claim 5, wherein the printable medium is a rectangular sheet and the system further includes:

means for folding the rectangular sheet by rotating the second and third frames by 180°

from the first and fourth frames,

whereby the user has a four-page booklet after folding.

7. System according to claim 6, further comprising:

if the memo is in landscape format means for printing a first fold line approximately along a median line of the rectangular sheet parallel to a longest side of the rectangular sheet,

if the memo is in portrait format means for printing a first fold line approximately along a median line parallel to a shortest side of the rectangular sheet,

such that, after folding, the first and fourth pages are fixed as outside pages and the second and third pages are fixed as inside pages.

8. System according to any one of the previous claims 5 or 7, wherein the software printing means further comprise means for printing advertising messages in predetermined locations selected from a group consisting of vertically, in margins of the frames, or in the fourth frame.

9. Client computer terminal connected to a global communication network suitable to distribute information contained in a computer database in a form that a user having access to such a client computer terminal can easily transport and handle, wherein:

the information is partitioned into units each containing a single predetermined number of symbols that can be printed on a single sheet of paper in the form of a four-page booklet;

the information is provided to the computer terminal from the database through a server, separate from the client computer terminal, and the global information network or through a tangible information medium, the client computer terminal comprising;

means configured to provide the user with access to the units and to allow the user to select the units that contain the information in which the user is interested,

a client computer,

a printer connected to the client computer;

control devices activating the client computer using the menus displayed by the client computer,

software printing means configured to be loaded on the client computer from a CD_ROM or downloaded to the client computer from a global communications network, the software printing means being configured to break down the symbols contained in each unit into four frames ordinally numbered first to fourth following an order of the pages of the booklet, to lay out the four frames on a front side of the sheet of paper such that the first and third frames are located on one diagonal of the sheet, and the second and fourth frames are located on an other diagonal of the sheet and to control the printer to print the selected units of information as respective four-page booklets on respective rectangular sheets of paper.

10. Client computer terminal according to claim 9, further including:

means for folding the rectangular sheet by rotating the second and third frames by 180°

from the first and fourth frames,

whereby when the folding is complete, the user has a four-page booklet.

11. Client computer terminal according to claim 10, wherein the software printout means comprises

if the booklets are in landscape format, means for printing the rectangular sheet to include a first fold line approximately along a median line parallel to a longest side of the rectangular sheet,

if the booklets are in portrait format, means for printing a first fold line approximately along a median line parallel to a shortest side of the rectangular sheet,

whereby after folding by the folding means, the first fold fixes the first and fourth pages as outside pages and pages 2 and 3 as inside pages.

12. Client computer terminal according to any one of claims 9 to 11 wherein the software printout means comprise means of printing advertising messages in predetermined locations selected from a group consisting of:

vertically, in margins of the frames or in the fourth frame.