Requirements-based print job preparation

• US 20040008370A1
• Filed: 06/27/2003
• Published: 01/15/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 01/25/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cimpress USA, Incorporated (Cimpress Plc)
• Original Assignee: Erik Robertson, Robert Keane, Sebastien Coursol
• Inventors: Coursol, Sebastien, Robertson, Erik, Keane, Robert
• Granted Patent: US 7,145,670 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 358/1.15
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1205 resulting in increased flexibility in print job configuration, e.g. job settings, print requirements, job tickets
• 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 3/1251 for continuous media, e.g. web media, rolls
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1252 for sheet based media
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1262 by grouping or ganging jobs
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1287 via internet
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1288 in client-server-printer device configuration
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/00 Finance; Insurance; Tax strategies; Processing of corporate or income taxes

Abstract

The invention provides methods for managing print jobs. One such method includes (a) accumulating discrete print jobs electronically from respective customers, (b) aggregating the discrete print jobs into aggregate print jobs, each of the aggregate print jobs being printable at one time on units of an integral print medium, and (c) electronically distributing the aggregate print jobs to respective printers for printing.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for managing individual print jobs comprising

receiving individual print jobs, each received individual print job having a plurality of associated printing parameters,

storing the individual print jobs and the associated parameters,

searching the stored parameters to identify individual print jobs having at least some common parameters, and

aggregating at least a portion of identified individual print jobs having at least some common parameters to create a larger aggregate print job arranged in a two-dimensional layout having a plurality of individual print jobs positioned in each of its two dimensions.

3. The method of claim 1 or 2 wherein the stored parameters include an indication of the delivery date for the individual print job.

4. The method of claim 1 or 2 wherein the stored parameters include an indication of whether the individual print job is to be printed on a plurality of sides.

5. The method of claim 1 or 2 wherein the stored parameters include an indication of the print quantity of the individual print job.

6. The method of claim 1 or 2 wherein the stored parameters include an indication of the type of post-printing processing to be performed on the individual print job

7. The method of claim 1 or 2 wherein the stored parameters include an indication of the size of the product to be printed from the individual print job.

8. The method of claim 1 or 2 wherein the stored parameters include an indication of the type of paper to be used for the individual print job.

9. The method of claim 1 or 2 wherein at least some of the individual print jobs are received at different times.

10. The method of claim 1 or 2 wherein at least some of the individual print jobs are received from different customers.

11. The method of claim 1 or 2 wherein the individual print jobs are received over a computer network.

12. The method of claim 1 or 2 further comprising the step of printing the aggregate print job on paper of a sufficiently large size to accommodate the simultaneous printing of all individual print jobs in the aggregate print job.

13. The method of claim 12 further comprising the steps of

repetitively printing the aggregate print job on cut sheets of paper until the desired number of copies of the aggregate print job have been printed,

assembling the printed sheets into a stack, and

cutting the stack to separate the individual print jobs.

14. The method of claim 13 further comprising the steps of packaging and shipping the individual print jobs.

2. A computer-implemented method for managing individual print jobs comprising

receiving individual print jobs, each received individual print job having plurality of associated printing parameters,

storing the individual print jobs and the associated parameters

defining a two-dimensional aggregate print job to be printed in accordance with a set of printing parameters, the aggregate print job having a plurality of individual print job positions in each of its two dimensions,

searching the stored printing parameters to identify individual print jobs having at least some associated printing parameters in common with the set of printing parameters of the aggregate print job, and

assigning at least some of the identified individual print jobs to print job positions in the aggregate print job.