System and method for yearbook creation

• US 7,757,166 B2
• Filed: 12/10/2004
• Issued: 07/13/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 12/10/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Jostens Incorporated (Newell Brands Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Jostens Incorporated (Newell Brands Inc.)
• Inventors: Chen, Xia, Loring, Eric J., Nelson, Gary Lee, Larson, Timothy M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hutton; Doug
• Assistant Examiner(s): Blackwell; James H
• Application Number:
  US11/009,612
• Publication Number:
  US 20060129924A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,041 Days
• Field of Search: 715/500, 715/517, 715/513, 715/530, 715/500.1, 715/200, 715/203, 715/234, 715/243, 715/255, 709/206, 705/1, 707/100
• US Class Current: 715/243
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/00 Commerce
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00132 in a digital photofinishing system, i.e. a system where digital photographic images undergo typical photofinishing processing, e.g. printing ordering
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00156 with a group of selected individuals or correspondents
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00177 from a user terminal, e.g. personal computer
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00196 Creation of a photo-montage, e.g. photoalbum H04N1/0019 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 90/30 Computing systems specially adapted for manufacturing

Abstract

A yearbook system is provided. The yearbook system provides a single, extensive resource to plan, create, educate about, sell, and distribute yearbooks. The system further provides an integrated yearbook system management and yearbook production system to enable the production of the yearbook to a printed output. A yearbook server hosts a client site and a client database. The client site is enables the school to plan, create, sell and distribute a yearbook. Further, their system may be used to create the yearbook online. A production server hosts a production database synchronizes with the yearbook server, providing images to the client for use in creating the yearbook, and accepting completed created pages submitted by the school from the yearbook server. The production server translates the created pages into the format to proceed through the regular preparation for production of the yearbook.

Claims

1. A yearbook system comprising:

a user component through which a user may design and create a yearbook, the user component including a user interface, user -specific content, and informational content, wherein the user component includes;

a planning ladder comprising a thumbnail image of each page, wherein the thumbnail image shows one of a complete, a partially created, or a template page; and

a build ladder comprising a thumbnail image of each page, wherein the thumbnail image shows one of a complete, a partially created, or a template page; and

a production component through which the yearbook is converted to a printed output;

wherein the user component and the production component interact such that submissions are made to the production component via the user component and the production component notifies the user component regarding any deficiencies in the submissions and the user component corrects the submission deficiencies and re submits.

2. The yearbook system of claim 1, wherein information regarding the page is associated with the thumbnail image of the page.

3. The yearbook system of claim 2, wherein the information includes section, description, deadline, staff, page type, or template.

4. A yearbook system comprising:

a user component through which a user may design and create a yearbook, the user component including a user interface, user specific content, and informational content, the user component further including;

a virtual book for virtual viewing of yearbook pages completed, in progress, and not yet started;

a planning ladder comprising a thumbnail image of each page of the yearbook, wherein information regarding each page is associated with the thumbnail image of the page, and wherein the information includes at least a name of the user responsible for the page; and

a build ladder comprising a thumbnail image of each page of the yearbook, wherein information regarding each page is associated with the thumbnail image of the page, and wherein the information includes at least a page deadline and a last edit; and

a production component through which the yearbook is converted to a printed output,

wherein the user component and the production component interact such that submissions are made to the production component via the user component and the production component communicates with the user component regarding the submissions.

5. The yearbook system of claim 4, wherein the user component includes tools for planning the yearbook, for creating the yearbook, for selling the yearbook, and for distributing the yearbook.

6. The yearbook system of claim 4, wherein the user component includes a visual representation of progress of the yearbook towards completion.

7. The yearbook system of claim 4, wherein the user component includes a photo submission component for accepting photos submitted by community members.

8. The yearbook system of claim 4, wherein the user component comprises at least two access levels such that an advisor may access information at one level and staff may access information at another level.

9. The yearbook system of claim 4, wherein the user component may be used to plan and develop portrait pages and activity pages.

10. The yearbook system of claim 4, wherein the user component includes coverage information for tracking coverage of students in the yearbook.

11. The yearbook system of claim 4, wherein the production component is designed to communicate with the user component regarding inadequacy of submissions and requiring correction and resubmission of the submissions.

12. The yearbook system of claim 4, wherein the production component comprises a yearbook system management component and a yearbook production system component.

13. The yearbook system of claim 12, wherein the yearbook system management component is designed to communicate with the user during yearbook creation.

14. The yearbook system of claim 4, wherein the production component stores input information.

15. The yearbook system of claim 4, wherein the production component comprises a yearbook server and a production server.

16. The yearbook system of claim 4, wherein the system is configured for interaction with a school, a school community, a sales force, customer support, and manufacturing.

17. The yearbook system of claim 4, wherein the user component enables the user to create the yearbook using a desk top publishing application.

18. The yearbook system of claim 4, wherein the user component enables the user to create the yearbook using an on-line creation tool.

19. A method for creating a yearbook comprising:

user planning of the yearbook, wherein the user planning of the yearbook comprises;

incorporating planning sections into a planning ladder, the planning ladder comprising a thumbnail image of each page of the yearbook, wherein information regarding each page is associated with the thumbnail image of the page, and wherein the information includes at least a name of the user responsible for the page;

incorporating sections into a build ladder, the build ladder comprising a thumbnail image of each page of the yearbook, wherein information regarding each page is associated with the thumbnail mage of the page, and wherein the information includes at least a page deadline and a last edit; and

user development of the yearbook;

user submission of completed portions of the yearbook;

production review of the submitted portions of the yearbook;

production communication to the user regarding the submitted portions of the yearbook; and

production conversion of the submitted portions of the yearbook into a printed output.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the user planning of the yearbook comprises user planning of each portion of the yearbook including cover, portrait pages, and activity pages.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the user development of the yearbook comprises development of each page laid out during user planning of the yearbook.

22. The method of claim 19, further comprising user submission of photos.

23. The method of claim 22, further comprising production scanning of the submitted photos.

24. The method of claim 19, further comprising production creation of a postscript file for completed portions of the yearbook.

25. A yearbook system comprising:

a user component through which a user may design and create a yearbook, the user component including a user interface, user-specific content, and informational content, wherein the user component includes;

a planning ladder comprising a thumbnail image of each page of the yearbook, wherein information regarding each page is associated with the thumbnail image of the page, and wherein the information includes at least a name of the user responsible for the page; and

a build ladder comprising a thumbnail image of each page of the yearbook, wherein information regarding each page is associated with the thumbnail image of the page, and wherein the information includes at least a page deadline and a last edit; and

a production component through which the yearbook is converted to a printed output;

wherein the user component and the production component interact such that submissions are made to the production component via the user component and the production component communicates with the user component regarding the submissions.