System and method for electronic document generation and delivery

• US 7,941,744 B2
• Filed: 04/25/2006
• Issued: 05/10/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 04/25/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ADP, Inc.
• Original Assignee: ADP, Inc.
• Inventors: Ortize, Carlos, Jackson, Elizabeth, Oppenlander, Timothy J., Cook, Rebecca Ann, Dimel, Gary R., Underhill, James
• Primary Examiner(s): RIES, LAURIE ANNE
• Application Number:
  US11/412,195
• Publication Number:
  US 20060288269A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,841 Days
• Field of Search: 715/221, 715/222, 715/223, 715/224, 715/225, 715/226, 715/243
• US Class Current: 715/222
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/174 Form filling; Merging
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management

Abstract

A system and method for generating and delivering an electronic form to a user. One embodiment of the disclosed system comprises a file management sub-system for receipt and management of at least one standard form in electronic format. The system also includes a user sub-system for selection of a desired form. In addition, the system includes a mapper sub-system for mapping each of the at least one standard forms into a form file identifying the graphical and/or textual elements of the standard form, at least one data field to placed on the form and an indication of where the at least one data field is to be placed based on the identified graphical and/or textual elements. Also, the system includes a delivery sub-system operably connected to the file management sub-system, the user sub-system and the mapping sub-system and capable delivering an electronic form comprising the desired form into which data retrieved from the user sub-system is inserted.

Claims

1. A system including a processor for generating and providing at least one electronic form to a user, the system comprising:

a file management sub-system for receipt and management of at least;

a first standard form including a first location thereon in which data of a first type is to be inserted to generate a first filled form and a second location thereon in which data of a second type is to be inserted to generate the first filled form; and

,

a second standard form including a third location thereon in which data of a third type is to be inserted to generate a second filled form and a fourth location thereon in which data of a fourth type is to be inserted to generate the second filled form;

a first user sub-system for selection of a desired form from the at least a first standard form and the second standard form, the first user sub-system comprising at least a first memory location at which data of the first type is stored, a second memory location at which data of the second type is stored, a third memory location at which data of the third type is stored and a fourth memory location at which data of the fourth type is stored and a first printer;

a first print engine communicatively coupled to the first printer;

a second user sub-system for selection of a desired form from the at least a first standard form and the second standard form, the second user sub-system comprising at least a fifth memory location at which data of the first type is stored, a sixth memory location at which data of the second type is stored, a seventh memory location at which data of the third type is stored and an eighth memory location at which data of the fourth type is stored and a second printer;

a second print engine communicatively coupled to the second printer;

a mapper sub-system running mapper software for mapping of;

the first standard form into a first digital form file identifying graphical and/or textual elements of the first standard form, a first pre-defined data input field for receipt of data of the first type to be placed on the first standard form, and a location on the first standard form for the first pre-defined data input field, a second pre-defined data input field for receipt of data of the second type to be placed on the first standard form and a location on the first standard form for the second pre-defined data input field; and

,

the second standard form into a second digital form file identifying graphical and/or textual elements of the second standard form, a third pre-defined data input field for receipt of data of the third type to be placed on the second standard form and a location on the second standard form for the second pre-defined data input field;

a delivery sub-system operably connected to the file management sub-system, the mapper sub-system, the first user sub-system and the second user sub-system, the delivery sub-system being configured to;

retrieve from the first user sub-system an indication of a desired form selected from the first and second standard forms and a first delivery address for electronic delivery of a digital form file mapped from the desired form, the delivery sub-system including a mechanism for creation of a script reflective of the desired form including the digital form file mapped from the desired form, and a mechanism for execution of the script to electronically deliver the digital form-file mapped from the desired form to the first user sub-system at the first delivery address; and

,

retrieve from the second user sub-system an indication of a desired form selected from the first and second standard forms and a second delivery address for electronic delivery of a digital form file mapped from the desired form, the delivery sub-system including a mechanism for creation of a script reflective of the desired form including the digital form file mapped from the desired form, and a mechanism for execution of the script to electronically deliver the digital form file mapped from the desired form to the second user sub-system at the second delivery address; and

,

wherein the first print engine is configured to;

when an indication is received from the first user sub-system that the first standard form is the desired form, merge the data stored at the first and second memory locations with the electronically delivered first digital form file to generate a first output file to the first printer which is configured to print a filled form including the data stored at the first memory location in the first pre-defined data input field at the location on the first standard form for the first pre-defined data input field and the data stored at the second memory location in the second pre-defined data input field at the location on the first standard form for the second predefined data input field; and

,

when an indication is received from the first user sub-system that the second standard form is the desired form, to merge the data stored at the third and fourth memory locations with the electronically delivered second digital form file to generate a second output file to the first printer which is configured to print a filled form including the data stored at the third memory location in the third pre-defined data input field at the location on the second standard form for the third pre-defined data input field and the data stored at the fourth memory location in the fourth pre-defined data input field at the location on the second standard form for the fourth pre-defined data input field; and

,

wherein the second print engine is configured to;

when an indication is received from the second user sub-system that the first standard form is the desired form, to merge the data stored at the fifth and sixth memory locations with the electronically delivered first digital form file to generate a third output file to the second printer which is configured to print a filled form including the data stored at the fifth memory location in the first pre-defined data input field at the location on the first standard form for the first pre-defined data input field and the data stored at the sixth memory location in the second pre-defined data input field at the location on the first standard form for the second pre-defined data input field; and

,

when an indication is received from the second user sub-system that the second standard form is the desired form, to merge the data stored at the seventh and eighth memory locations with the electronically delivered second digital form file to generate a second output file to the second printer which is configured to print a filled form including the data stored at the seventh memory location in the third pre-defined data input field at the location on the second standard form for the third pre-defined data input field and the data stored at the eighth memory location in the fourth pre-defined data input field at the location on the second standard form for the fourth pre-defined data input field.

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a first electronic cross reference table stored on the first user sub-system, the first cross reference table correlating the first pre-defined data input field with first memory location, correlating the second pre-defined data input field with the second memory location, correlating the third pre-defined data input field with third memory location and correlating the fourth pre-defined data input field with the fourth memory location and wherein the first print engine utilizes the first cross reference table to generate the first and second output files to the first printer; and

,

a second electronic cross reference table stored on the second user sub-system, the second cross reference table correlating the first pre-defined data input field with fifth memory location, correlating the second pre-defined data input field with the sixth memory location, correlating the third pro-defined data input field with seventh memory location and correlating the fourth pre-defined data input field with the eighth memory location and wherein the second print engine utilizes the second cross reference table to generate the third and fourth output files to the second printer.

3. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a first premapped data stream builder configured to generate a first premapped data stream incorporating the data stored at the first, second, third and fourth memory locations and associating the data stored at the first memory location with the first pre-defined data input field, the data stored at the second memory location with the second pro-defined input data field, the data stored at the third memory location with the third pre-defined input data field, and the data stored at the fourth memory location with the fourth pre-defined data input field and wherein the first premapped data stream is utilized by the first print engine to generate the first and second output files to the first printer; and

a second premapped data stream builder configured to generate a second premapped data stream incorporating the data stored at the fifth, sixth, seventh and eighth memory locations and associating the data stored at the fifth memory location with the first predefined data input field, the data stored at the sixth memory location with the second pre-defined data input field, the data stored at the seventh memory location with the third pre-defined data input field and the data stored at the eighth memory location with the fourth pre-defined data input field and wherein the second premapped data stream is utilized by the second print engine to generate the third and fourth output files to the second printer.

4. The system of claim 3, further comprising:

a first electronic cross reference table correlating the first pre-defined data input field with first memory location, correlating the second pre-defined data input field with the second memory location, correlating the third pre-defined data input field with third memory location and correlating the fourth pre-defined data input field with the fourth memory location and wherein the first premapped data stream builder utilizes the first electronic cross reference table to facilitate generation of the first premapped data stream; and

,

a second electronic cross reference table correlating the first pre-defined data input field with fifth memory location, correlating the second pre-defined data input field with the sixth memory location, correlating the third pre-defined data input field with seventh memory location and correlating the fourth pre-defined data input field with the eight memory location and wherein the second premapped data stream builder utilizes the second electronic cross reference table to facilitate generation of the second premapped data stream.

5. The system of claim 3, further comprising a first form supplier sub-system on which an electronic image file of the first standard form is stored in a standard format and wherein the first form supplier sub-system is coupled by a network to the file management sub-system to facilitate uploading the electronic image file of the first standard form via the network to the file management sub-system.

6. The system of claim 5, further comprising a second form supplier sub-system on which an electronic image file of the second standard form is stored in a standard format and wherein the second form supplier sub-system is coupled by a network to the file management sub-system to facilitate uploading the electronic image file of the second standard form via the network to the file management sub-system.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the file management sub-system includes a forms image database and is configured to store uploaded electronic image files of the first and second standard forms in the forms image database.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the mapper sub-system accesses the forms image database to acquire the electronic image file of the first and second standard forms and is configured to utilize the acquired electronic image files during mapping of the first and second digital form files.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the mapper sub-system includes an electronic forms database and is configured to store the first and second digital form files in the electronic forms database.

10. The system of claim 5, wherein the electronic image file of the first standard form is in a first file format and the first digital form file is in a second file format differing from the first file format.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the first file format is portable document format (“

PDF”

).

12. The system of claim 10, wherein the second file format is tagged image file format (“

TIFF”

).

13. The system of claim 10, wherein the second digital form file is in the second file format.

14. The system of claim 10, wherein the second file format is TIFF.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the second digital form file is in the second file format.

16. The system of claim 3, wherein the first and second printers are laser printers.

17. A system including a processor for generating and providing at least one electronic form to a user, the system comprising:

a file management sub-system for receipt and management of at least one standard form including a location at which data of a first type is to be inserted thereon;

a user sub-system for selection of a desired form from the at least one standard form, the user sub-system comprising a memory location at which a data of the first type is stored, a print engine and a printer;

a mapper sub-system running mapper software for mapping of each of the at least one standard forms into a digital form file identifying graphical and/or textual elements of the standard form, at least one data input field for receipt of data of the first type and a location on the standard form for the at least one data input field;

a delivery sub-system operably connected to the file management sub-system, the mapper sub-system and the user sub-system, the delivery sub-system being capable of retrieving from the user sub-system an indication of a desired form selected from the at least one standard form and a delivery address for electronic delivery of a digital form file mapped from the desired form, the delivery sub-system including a mechanism for creation of a script reflective of the desired form including the digital form file mapped from the desired form, and a mechanism for execution of the script to electronically deliver the digital form file mapped from the desired form to the user sub-system at the delivery address; and

wherein the print engine on the user sub-system is configured to merge the data stored at the memory location with the electronically delivered digital form file to generate an output file to the printer which is configured to print a filled form including the data stored at the memory location in the data input field at the location on the standard form for the at least one data input field.

18. The system of claim 17, further comprising a server operated by a forms distributor, the server comprising the mapper sub-system, the delivery sub-system and file management sub-system.

19. The system of claim 18, further comprising a form supplier sub-system on which an electronic image file of the at least one standard form is stored in a standard format and wherein the form supplier sub-system is coupled by a network to the server to facilitate uploading the electronic image file of the at least one standard form via the network to the server.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the file management sub-system includes a forms image database and the server is configured to store an electronic image file of the at least one standard form uploaded via the network in the forms image database.

21. The system of claim 20, wherein the mapper sub-system accesses the forms image database to acquire the electronic image file of the at least one standard form and is configured to utilize the acquired electronic image of the at least one standard form during mapping of each of the at least one standard forms into the digital form file.

22. The system of claim 21, wherein the electronic image file of the at least one standard form is in a first file format and the digital form file generated by the mapper of the at least one standard form is in a second file format differing from the first file format.

23. The system of claim 22, wherein the first file format is a PDF format.

24. The system of claim 22, wherein the second file format is a TIFF format.

25. The system of claim 18, wherein the server further comprises a web server.

26. The system of claim 17, wherein the printer comprises a laser printer.

27. The device of claim 17, wherein the at least one standard form includes a first location thereon in which data of a first type is to be inserted to generate a filled form and a second location thereon in which data of a second type is to be inserted to generate a filled form, wherein the mapper sub-system maps a digital form file identifying graphical and/or textual elements of the standard form, a first data input field for receipt of data of the first type to be placed on the standard form, a location on the standard form corresponding to the first location for the first data input field, a second data input field for receipt of data of the second type to be placed on the standard form and a location on the standard form corresponding to the second location for the second data input field;

wherein the a user sub-system comprises a first memory location at which data of the first type for insertion into the at least one form is stored and a second memory location at which data of the second type for insertion into the at least one form is stored and wherein the print engine on the user sub-system is configured to merge the data stored at the first and second memory locations with the electronically delivered digital form file to generate an output file to the printer which is configured to print a filled form including the data stored at the first memory location in the first data input field at the location on the standard form for the first data input field and the data stored in the second memory location in the second data input field at the location on the standard form for the second data input field.

28. The system of claim 27, further comprising an electronic cross reference table stored on the user sub-system, the cross reference table correlating the first data input field with first memory location and correlating the second data input field with the second memory location and wherein the print engine utilizes the cross reference table to generate the output file to the printer.

29. The system of claim 27, further comprising a premapped data stream builder configured to generate a data stream incorporating the data stored at the first and second memory locations and associating the data stored at the first memory location with the first data input field and the data stored at the second memory location with the second input data field and wherein the premapped data stream is utilized by the print engine to generate the output file to the printer.

30. The system of claim 29, further comprising an electronic cross reference table stored on the user sub-system, the cross reference table correlating the first data input field with first memory location and correlating the second data input field with the second memory location and wherein the premapped data stream builder utilizes the electronic cross reference table to facilitate generation of the premapped data stream.

31. A system including a processor for generating and providing at least one electronic form to a user, the system comprising:

a file management sub-system for receipt and management of at least;

a first standard form including a first location thereon in which data of a first type is to be inserted to generate a first filled form and a second location thereon in which data of a second type is to be inserted to generate the first filled form; and

,

a second standard form including a third location thereon in which data of a third type is to be inserted to generate a second filled form and a fourth location thereon in which data of a fourth type is to be inserted to generate the second filled form;

a first user sub-system for selection of a desired form from the first standard form and the second standard form, the user sub-system comprising at least a first memory location at which data of the first type is stored, a second memory location at which data of the second type is stored, a third memory location at which data of the third type is stored, a fourth memory location at which data of the fourth type is stored and a first printer;

a first print engine;

a mapper sub-system running mapper software for mapping of;

the first standard form into a first digital form file identifying graphical and/or textual elements of the first standard form, a first pre-defined data input field for receipt of data of the first type to be placed on the first standard form, a location on the first standard form for the first pre-defined data input field, a second pre-defined data input field for receipt of data of the second type to be placed on the first standard form and a location on the first standard form for the second pre-defined data input field the second standard form into a second digital form file identifying graphical and/or textual elements of the second standard form, a third pre-defined data input field for receipt of data of the third type to be placed on the second standard form, a location on the second standard form for the third pre-defined data input field, a fourth pre-defined data input field for receipt of data of the fourth type to be placed on the second standard form and a location on the second standard form for the fourth pre-defined data input field;

a delivery sub-system operably connected to the file management sub-system, the mapper sub-system and the first user sub-system, the delivery sub-system being capable of retrieving from the first user sub-system an indication of a desired form selected from the first and second standard forms and a delivery address for electronic delivery of a digital form file mapped from the desired form, the delivery sub-system including a mechanism for creation of a script reflective of the desired form including the digital form file mapped from the desired form and a mechanism for execution of the script to electronically deliver the digital form file mapped from the desired form to the first user sub-system at the first delivery address; and

wherein the print engine is configured;

when it is indicated that the first standard form is the desired form, to merge the data stored at the first and second memory locations with the electronically delivered first digital form file to generate a first output file to the printer which is configured to print a filled form including the data stored at the first memory location in the first pre-defined data input field at the location on the first standard form for the first pre-defined data input field and the data stored at the second memory location in the second pre-defined data input field at the location on the first standard form for the second pre-defined data input field; and

when it is indicated that the second standard form is the desired form, to merge the data stored at the third and fourth memory locations with the electronically delivered second digital form file to generate a second output file to the printer which is configured to print a filled form including the data stored at the third memory location in the third pre-defined data input field at the location on the second standard form for the third pre-defined data input field and the data stored at the fourth memory location in the fourth pre-defined data input field at the location on the second standard form for the fourth pre-defined data input field.

32. The system of claim 31, wherein the user sub-system includes a data archive and the print engine outputs to the data archive an archive file representing a filled form that will be printed from each output file generated and sent to the printer.

33. The system of claim 32, further comprising a first signature capture device for capturing a signature and generating a signature image file, wherein the mapper inserts a signature image field in a location on the first digital form file at a signature location on the first standard form where a filled and signed first standard form would include a signature, the print engine includes a non-printable signature icon on the archive file that will not be printed by the printer and wherein upon capturing a signature on the filled form printed from the first output file a captured signature image file is transferred to the data archive and the captured signature image file is inserted into the archive file replacing the non-printable signature icon to generate a file stored in the archive representative of the filled and signed first standard form.

34. The system of claim 31, further comprising a first premapped data stream builder configured to generate a premapped data stream incorporating the data stored at the first, second, third and fourth memory locations and associating the data stored at the first memory location with, the first pre-defined data input field, the data stored at the second memory location with the second pre-defined input data field, the data stored at the third memory location with the third pre-defined data input field and the data stored at the fourth memory location with the fourth pre-defined input data field and wherein the first print engine is configured to extract the data stored at the first and second memory locations from the first premapped data stream to generate the first output file and to extract the data stored at the third and fourth memory locations from the first premapped data stream to generate the second output file.

35. The system of claim 34, further comprising

a second user sub-system operably connected to the delivery sub-system and the file management sub-system for selection of a desired form from the at least a first standard form and the second standard form, the second user sub-system comprising at least a fifth memory location at which data of the first type is stored, a sixth memory location at which data of the second type is stored, a seventh memory location at which data of the third type is stored, an eighth memory location at which data of the fourth type is stored and a second printer;

a second print engine;

wherein the delivery sub-system is capable of retrieving from the second user sub-system an indication of a desired form selected from the first and second standard forms and a second delivery address for electronic delivery of a digital form file mapped from the desired form, the delivery sub-system including a mechanism for execution of the script to electronically deliver the digital form file mapped from the desired form to the second user sub-system at the second delivery address;

a second premapped data stream builder configured to generate a second premapped data stream incorporating the data stored at the fifth, sixth, seventh and eighth memory locations and associating the data stored at the fifth memory location with the first pre-defined data input field, the data stored at the sixth memory location with the second pre-defined data input field, the data stored at the seventh memory location with the third pre-defined data input field and the data stored at the eighth memory location with the fourth pre-defined data input field; and

,

wherein the second print engine is configured;

when it is indicated that the first standard form is the desired form to be delivered to the second delivery address, to extract the data stored at the fifth and sixth memory locations from the second premapped data stream and to merge the data stored at the fifth and sixth memory locations with the electronically delivered first digital form file to generate a third output file to the second printer which is configured to print a filled form including the data stored at the fifth memory location in the first pre-defined data input field at the location on the first standard form for the first pre-defined data input field and the data stored at the sixth memory location in the second pre-defined data input field at the location on the first standard form for the second pre-defined data input field; and

when it is indicated that the second standard form is the desired form to be delivered to the second delivery address, to extract the data stored at the seventh and eighth memory locations from the second pre-mapped data stream and to merge the data stored at the third and fourth memory locations with the electronically delivered second digital form file to generate a fourth output file to the second printer which is configured to print a filled farm including the data stared at the seventh memory location in the third pre-defined data input field at the location on the second standard form for the third pre-defined data input field and the data stored at the eighth memory location in the fourth pre-defined data input field at the location on the second standard form for the fourth pre-defined data input field.

36. The system of claim 35, wherein the mapper sub-system includes an electronic form database where the first and second digital form files are stored.

37. A method for generating and providing at least one electronic form including at least a first electronic form of a first standard form from which a first filled standard form can be printed including a first location wherein data of a first type is printed and a second electronic form of a second standard form from which a second filled standard form can be printed including a second location wherein data of a second type is printed to a plurality of users including a first user that stores data of the first type at a first memory location and data of the second type at a second memory location and a second user that stores data of the first type at a third memory location and data of the second type at a fourth memory location, wherein the first and third memory locations are different and the second and fourth memory locations are different, the method comprising the steps of:

collecting the first standard form in electronic format;

collecting the second standard form in electronic format;

mapping the first standard form into a first digital form overlay file identifying graphical and/or textual elements of the first standard form, a first pre-defined data input field of the type to be placed on the first standard form in the location at which data of the first type is to be printed and a location on the first standard form for the first pre-defined data input field;

mapping the second standard form into a second digital form overlay file identifying graphical and/or textual elements of the second standard form, a second pre-defined data input field of the type to be placed on the second standard form in the location at which data of the second type is to be printed and a location on the second standard form for the second pre-defined data input field;

accepting a request from the first user for electronic delivery of a first desired form selected from the first and second electronic forms;

accepting a request from the second user for electronic delivery of a second desired form selected from the first and second electronic forms;

generating a first premapped data stream correlating the first pre-defined data input field with the data stored at the first memory location and the second pre-defined data input field with the data stored at the second memory location;

generating a second premapped data stream correlating the first pre-defined data input field with the data stored at the third memory location and the second pre-defined data input field with the data stored at the fourth memory location;

electronically delivering the digital form overlay file mapped from the first desired form to the first user;

electronically delivering the digital form overlay file mapped from the second desired form to the second user;

extracting data to create first extracted data from the first premapped data stream wherein the first extracted data is the data stored in the first memory location when the first desired form is the first electronic form and the first extracted data is the data stored at the second memory location when the first desired form is the second electronic form

merging the first extracted data with the digital form overlay file mapped from the first desired form to create a first print file;

sending the first print file to a printer accessible to the first user to produce a hardcopy of a filled standard form;

extracting data to create second extracted data from the second premapped data stream wherein the second extracted data is the data stored in the third memory location when the second desired form is the first electronic form and the second extracted data is the data stored at the fourth memory location when the second desired form is the second electronic form

merging the second extracted data with the digital form overlay file mapped from the second desired form to create a second print file; and

,

sending the second print file to a printer accessible to the second user to produce a hardcopy of a filled standard form.

38. The method of claim 37, further comprising the steps of retrieving a first electronic address from the first user to be utilized to electronically deliver the digital form overlay file mapped from the first desired form to the first user and retrieving a second electronic address from the second user to be utilized to electronically deliver the digital form overlay file mapped from the second desired form to the second user.

39. The method of claim 38, further comprising uploading via a network the first and second standard forms in electronic format.

40. The method of claim 39, further comprising storing the digital form overlay files in a searchable database prior to an electronic delivery step.