System and method for handling printing press workload

• US 8,009,308 B2
• Filed: 07/12/2005
• Issued: 08/30/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 07/12/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: PrintingForLess.com Incorporated (PFL Tech, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: PrintingForLess.com Incorporated (PFL Tech, Inc.)
• Inventors: Field, Andrew S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Zimmerman; Mark K
• Assistant Examiner(s): DHINGRA, PAWANDEEP
• Application Number:
  US11/179,101
• Publication Number:
  US 20070013940A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,240 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 358/1.15
• CPC Class Codes: B41F 33/16 Programming systems for automatic control of sequence of operations
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1208 resulting in improved quality of the output result, e.g. print layout, colours, workflows, print preview
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1214 at the submitting node
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1245 by conversion to intermediate or common format
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1263 based on job priority, e.g. re-arranging the order of jobs, e.g. the printing sequence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1275 Print workflow management, e.g. defining or changing a workflow, cross publishing
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1285 Remote printer device, e.g. being remote from client or server

Abstract

A system and method is provided for ganging print orders to be printed on a press based on a set of print attributes, wherein associated digital files of the print orders are ganged together in one file location to generate a gang ticket in a database for the ganged print order, and displaying the gang ticket.

Claims

1. A method of handling press workload, comprising:

receiving a plurality of print orders, each having a set of print attributes and an associated digital file;

determining whether each or some of the plurality of print orders will be printed by internal presses or external partner presses;

ganging the print orders determined to be printed on internal presses using a print order ganging system dashboard, wherein the print orders are ganged and distributed to internal presses based on at least one of the press workload or the set of print attributes, wherein the internal press workload can be assessed and monitored through a press workload schedule dashboard;

automatically collecting the digital files for the ganged print orders together in one file location, wherein print orders of different types can be ganged together; and

generating a gang ticket in a database for the ganged print orders and displaying the gang ticket on a dashboard, wherein the ganged print orders and press workload are dynamically modifiable by a print operator associated with the internal presses including being able to add additional print orders to the gang and being able to remove print orders from the gang during ganging of the print orders and up until the ganged print order is running on press by using the print order ganging system dashboard.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the gang ticket includes different file formats.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the gang ticket includes different file characteristics.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the set of print attributes include total quantity of the print orders, incremental quantities of component parts of the print orders, required turn around time, and/or estimated print completion time.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein the determining whether to perform the printing of print orders with internal presses or whether to distribute the print orders for printing on external partners'"'"' printing presses is based on the press workload of the internal presses at the time the print order is received or at the time the print order is scheduled for completion.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the press workload of the internal presses can also be assessed and monitored by a real-time print press operation production dashboard.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the print press operation production dashboard includes displaying total number of print orders, a total value of the orders, average number of orders and/or average value of the orders that are under review by at least one of an operator, and a coordinator for an external partner press, wherein each print order displayed on the print press operation production dashboard may be assigned to a gang waiting list, already assigned under a gang number, or assigned under different printing presses.

20. The method of claim 1, wherein the dashboard that displays the gang ticket includes at least the attributes for each of the ganged print orders, and either a thumbnail image of each of the ganged print orders, or a link to an image of each of the ganged print orders.

5. A method of handling press workload, comprising:

receiving a print order which has a set of print attributes and an associated digital file, wherein the print orders may be printed by internal printing presses or external partners'"'"' printing presses;

assigning the print order to a gang to be printed on a press based on at least one of the current press workload or the set of print attributes, wherein print orders determined to be printed on internal printing presses are assigned to a gang using a print order ganging system dashboard, and wherein current press workload can be assessed, and monitored through a press workload schedule dashboard;

automatically collecting the digital file of the print order together with corresponding digital files of the gang in one file location, wherein a gang can include print orders of different types; and

generating a gang ticket in a database for the ganged print order and displaying the gang ticket on a dashboard, wherein the ganged print orders and the press workload are dynamically modifiable by a print operator associated with the internal printing presses including being able to add additional print orders to the gang and being able to remove print orders from the gang during ganging of the print orders and up until the ganged print orders are running on press by using the press workload schedule dashboard.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the gang ticket includes different file formats.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein the gang ticket includes different file characteristics.

8. The method of claim 5, wherein the set of print attributes include total quantity of the print order, incremental quantities of component parts of the print order, required turn around time, and/or estimated print completion time.

9. A system for handling press workload, comprising:

a print order receiving module that receives a plurality of print orders, each having a set of print attributes and an associated digital file;

a print order ganging system dashboard for ganging the print orders based on at least one of the current press workload or the set of print attributes, wherein the current press workload can be assessed and monitored through a press workload schedule dashboard;

means for automatically collecting the digital files for the ganged print orders together in one file location, wherein print orders of different types can be ganged together; and

means for generating a gang ticket in a database for the ganged print orders, and displaying the gang ticket on a monitor, wherein the ganged print orders and the current press work load are dynamically modifiable by a print operator including being able to add additional print orders to the gang and being able to remove print orders from the gang during ganging of the print orders and up until the ganged print order is running on press by using the press workload schedule dashboard.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the gang ticket includes different file formats.

11. The system of claim 9, wherein the gang ticket includes different file characteristics.

12. The system of claim 9, wherein the set of print attributes include total quantity of the print orders, incremental quantities of component parts of the print orders, required turn around time, and/or estimated print completion time.

13. A system for handling press workload, comprising:

a print order receiving module that receives a print order which has a set of print attributes and an associated digital file, wherein the print order may be printed by internal printing presses or external partners'"'"' printing presses;

a print order ganging system dashboard for ganging the print order to be printed on a internal printing presses based on at least one of the current press workload or the set of print attributes, wherein the current press workload can be accessed and monitored through a press workload schedule dashboard;

means for automatically collecting the digital file of the print order together with corresponding digital files of the gang in one file location, wherein a gang can include print orders of different types, generating a gang ticket in a database for the ganged print order, and displaying the gang ticket, on a monitor, wherein the gang ticket and the press workload are dynamically modifiable by a print operator associated with the internal printing presses including being able to add additional print orders to the gang and being able to remove print orders from the gang during ganging of the print orders and up until the ganged print order is running on press by using the press workload schedule dashboard.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the gang ticket includes different product formats.

15. The system of claim 13, wherein the gang ticket includes different product characteristics.

16. The system of claim 13, wherein the set of print attributes include total quantity of the print order, incremental quantities of component parts of the print order, required turn around time, and/or estimated print completion time.