Method, device systems and computer programs for producing and tracing printed documents with a determinate identifier

• US 7,347,378 B2
• Filed: 03/13/2003
• Issued: 03/25/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 03/13/2002
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Oce Printing Systems GmbH & Co KG (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Oce Printing Systems GmbH (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Diesler, Wilfried, Ubert, Ralf, Frohlich, Georg
• Primary Examiner(s): Le; Thien M.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Mai; Thien T
• Application Number:
  US10/507,406
• Publication Number:
  US 20050178843A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,839 Days
• Field of Search: 235/492, 235/495, 235/494, 235/493, 235/380, 235/375, 235/381, 235/382, 235/487, 235/462.01, 705/74, 705/14, 705/64, 705/401, 705/26, 705/10, 705/1, 705/45, 380/278, 380/243, 380/255, 340/5.86, 340/540, 340/541, 340/572.1, 382/100, 382/72, 426/231
• US Class Current: 235/487
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/10 at least one kind of marking being used for authentication, e.g. of credit or identity cards verification of coded identity or credit cards in mechanisms actuated by them G07F7/12

Abstract

In a method and system for production of a printed document with a unique identifier, the data medium for the unique identifier is applied on a recording medium, the data medium being capable of being electronically written without contact so that data are written without contact onto the data medium in the course of a document production event. Data of at least one of a user program, of the printed document, and of the data medium are linked in a file.

Claims

1. A method for production of a plurality of printed documents each having a unique identifier by use of a high-speed printer, comprising the steps of:

providing a file with information to be printed on each of the printed documents, said file not having said unique identifier stored therein prior to a printing of said information on each of said documents;

providing a recording medium with the transponder for each document to be printed on the medium, said transponders being capable of being electronically read without contact at said high-speed printer, and one of said unique identifiers being stored in unchangeable fashion in an electronic storage region of each of said transponders;

printing said information for each document from said file onto said recording medium with said high-speed printer to create each of the said printed documents and reading said unique identifier from each of said transponders;

if said unique identifier could not be successfully read from the transponder, storing in a reprint list file an identification of the printed document having the not successfully read transponder;

linking said unique identifiers read from said transponders in said file with each of said document information printed on each of said documents; and

by use of said reprint list file, automatically instituting a reprinting of said document information but associated with a new one of said transponders for each printed document having said not successfully read transponder.

2. A method of claim 1 wherein said reading of said unique identifier occurs after said printing of said information for each document.

3. A method of claim 1 wherein said recording medium comprises a continuous web for said documents to be printed.

4. A method of claim 1 wherein said recording medium comprises cut sheets with one cut sheet for each document to be printed.

5. A method of claim 1 wherein after said reading of said unique identifier from said transponder on each printed document a said high-speed printer, reading said printed information for said printed document to determine whether or not said printed information has been correctly printed, and if not, a reprinting is instituted of said information but associated with a new one of said transponders.

6. A method of claim 5 wherein said reading of said printed document information is with an optical system at said high-speed printer.

7. A method of claim 1 wherein said printed information for each document is read from the printed document and is compared for printing errors by use of the information in said file to be printed for said document, and then a control file is generated based on said comparison.

8. A method claim 7 wherein said control file is used in a later further processing of said document.

9. A method of claim 1 wherein additional information is written onto said transponder at said high-speed printer after said printing.

10. A method of claim 1 including generating said information to be printed on said file by combining data of a layout master document-by-document with a variable contents of a data bank, and linking said information to be printed to an intended list, and with said intended list monitoring said printed documents.

11. A method of claim 1 including linking said file with the information to be printed to an intended list and using said intended list for monitoring correct production of said printed documents.

12. A method of claim 1 including the step of creating a list of the transponders which were read and for each transponder storing information at said list about a result of the reading.

13. A method of claim 1 including the step of providing a post-processing device at said high-speed printer for processing said printed documents.

14. A method of claim 13 wherein said recording medium comprises a web and said post-processing device cuts said web.

15. A system for production of a plurality of printed documents each having a unique identifier, comprising:

a high-speed printer;

a file with information to be printed on each of the printed documents by said high-speed printer, said file not having said unique identifier stored therein prior to a printing of said information on each of said documents;

a recording medium with a transponder for each document to be printed on the medium, said transponders being capable of being electronically read without contact, and one of said unique identifiers being stored in unchangeable fashion in an electronic storage region of each of said transponders;

said high speed printer printing said information for each document from said file onto said recording medium to create each of said printed documents;

a read head at said high-speed printer reading said unique identifier from each of said transponders;

if said unique identifier could not be successfully read from the transponder by said read head, an identification of the printed document having the not successfully read transponder being stored in a reprint list file;

said unique identifiers read from said transponders at said high-speed printer being linked in said file with each of said document information printed on each of said documents; and

a reprint control unit for instituting a reprinting of said document information, but associated with a new one of said transponders for each printed document having said not successfully read transponder.

16. A system of claim 15 wherein said unique identifier is read by said read head after said high-speed printer prints said information for each document.

17. A system of claim 15 wherein said recording medium comprises a continuous web for said documents to be printed.

18. A system of claim 15 wherein said recording medium comprises separate cut sheets with one cut sheet for each document to be printed.

19. A system of claim 15 wherein after said reading of said unique identifier from said transponder on each printed document at said high-speed printer, with a reading system reading said printed information for said printed document to determine whether or not said printed information has been correctly printed, and if not, a reprinting is instituted of said information but associated with a new one of said transponders.

20. A system of claim 19 wherein said reading system for reading said printed document information comprises an optical system at said high-speed printer.

21. A system of claim 15 wherein said printed information for each document is read by a reading system at said high-speed printer from the printed document and is compared for printing errors by use of the information in said file to be printed for said document, and then a control file is generated based on said comparison.

22. A system claim 21 wherein said control file is used in a later further processing of said document.

23. A system of claim 15 wherein additional information is written onto said transponder with a write head at said high-speed printer after said printing.

24. A system of claim 15 including said information to be printed is generated on said file by combining data of a layout master document-by-document with a variable contents of a data bank, and said information to be printed is linked to an intended list, and with said intended list said printed documents are monitored.

25. A system of claim 15 including an intended list being linked to said file with the information to be printed and a monitoring unit which uses said intended list for monitoring correct production of said printed documents.

26. A system of claim 15 including a list of the transponders which were read and for each transponder information being stored at said list about a result of the reading.

27. A system of claim 15 including a post-processing device at said high-speed printer for processing said printed documents.

28. A system of claim 27 wherein said recording medium comprises a web and said post-processing device cuts said web.