Patent Application
20050154642
The present invention relates to printers or multi-function machines that include a printing function. In particular, the present invention relates to a network
When a consumer wants to purchase reading material directed at an area of personal interest, most consumers purchase several magazines or books related to the general category of their interest. There is no way to select very specific materials at a bookshop. As a result, the consumer typically selects reading materials in a general category of interest hoping to find a few articles that he or she is specifically interested in. For example, a consumer will purchase a magazine directed to some area of interest. One or two articles may catch the consumer's eye. The consumer will typically read the selected articles in a magazine. The articles of interest may be torn out or clipped for later use. The remaining articles go unread. Eventually, the magazine is discarded and most of the articles are unread. The majority of the magazine is wasted. In addition, magazines are in limited supply, so a particular retail bookshop may be out of stock. In addition, if a magazine does not sell out, the extras are shipped back to the supplier for a refund. It is difficult, at times, for the demand for a magazine to meet the supply.
Some books are purchased for a different reason. However, in some instance a consumer may purchase a book a portion of which is of interest. The majority of the book goes unread. Books are generally saved for a longer period of time before being discarded or reused. Again, the result is a very inefficient delivery of materials.
In other instances, very specific materials may be needed for sales presentations. The materials may be located remote from a sales office. In this instance, the sales material must be sent for and obtained before going into a packet for marketing. Therefore, putting together a sales presentation for a specific machine may require at least several days lead time. In addition, the person seeking the sales or marketing material is not in control of most of the work necessary to produce the sales material. One alternative is to carry an inventory of brochures at each sales office. This requires space. The sales office also runs the risk of not having the latest revision. Furthermore, the brochures are generally written to a broad audience so that the information is useful for many who would read it. General sales or marketing material is not tailored to a specific person for a proposal. To customize such a brochure or presentation requires a trip to the printer. Again, this requires days of lead time to design the customized brochure, produce a proof before printing, inspect the proof, and then actually print. Since the process is so involved, custom brochures typically are made in large quantities rather than in small quantities.
The invention is pointed out with particularity in the appended claims. However, a more complete understanding of the present invention may be derived by referring to the detailed description when considered in connection with the figures wherein like reference numbers refer to similar items throughout the figures and:
In the following description and the drawings illustrate specific embodiments of the invention sufficiently to enable those skilled in the art to practice it. Other embodiments may incorporate structural, logical, electrical, process, and other changes. Examples merely typify possible variations. Individual components and functions are optional unless explicitly required, and the sequence of operations may vary. Portions and features of some embodiments may be included in or substituted for those of others. The scope of the invention encompasses the full ambit of the claims and all available equivalents. The following description is, therefore, not to be taken in a limited sense, and the scope of the present invention is defined by the appended claims.
The functions described herein are implemented in software in one embodiment, where the software comprises computer executable instructions stored on computer readable media such as memory or other type of storage devices. The term “computer readable media” is also used to represent carrier waves on which the software is transmitted. Further, such functions correspond to modules, which are software, hardware, firmware of any combination thereof. Multiple functions are performed in one or more modules as desired, and the embodiments described are merely examples.
The imaging apparatus 110 would also include a first paper tray 181, a second paper tray 182, and a third paper tray 183. Each of the paper trays 181, 182, 183 holds a different type of paper used to produce finished documents using the point of need printing device 80. The point of need printing device 80 also includes an in-line finisher 610. The in-line finisher finishes the document so that the finished document output from the point of need printing device 80 is comparable in quality to documents created at commercial print shops. The in-line finisher 610 is capable of performing one or more finishing steps such as lamination of one or all pages of a document, document stacking, saddle stitching, or trimming. In the trimming operation, the pages are trimmed to produce a custom-sized document or a flat-edged booklet. Trimming can also be used to produce a full bleed feature for a page or document. In other embodiments of the invention, the in-line finisher 610 includes perforation, high capacity stacking, binding of the document, hole punching, three-ring binder insertion, cover insertion, auto packaging, and folding of the document. In addition, the in-line finisher 610, in some embodiments, may include direct mail finishing such as sealing labels and postage metering.
The point of need printing device 80 also includes an interface or connection to a network 410. The network 410 can be a wide area network or a local area network or can be the Internet or a similar network. Also attached to the network 410, is a first content provider 191, and a second content provider 192. In actuality, a plurality of content providers 191, 192 will be attached to the network 410. The content providers 191, 192 provide or sell content to a user who is designing and forming a document using the point of need printing device 80. In some embodiments of the invention, the content providers 191, 192 are associated with the company of the user. In such an embodiment, a company may have a marketing department that produces high-quality brochures for various sales meetings. The content providers 191, 192 can be different arms of the same company that provide content used in marketing materials. In still other embodiments of the invention, the content providers 191, 192 may be other arms located within a marketing department.
The point of need printing device kiosk 280 also includes an interface to a network 410. The network 410 is any type of network including a wide area network, local area network, or Internet or the like. Content providers 191, 192 are also attached to the network 410. The content providers 191, 192 attached to the network 410 provide or sell content to a user who is producing a document using the point of need printing device kiosk 280. The user 290 issues commands and designs the document via the user interface. The content is provided by the content providers 191, 192. The user has the ability to search all of the content providers 191, 192 for articles or content that is of interest to the user. For example, if the user is interested in fly fishing, the user can search the content of the various content providers 191, 192 for articles on fly fishing, sections of books on fly fishing, or sections of newspapers that discuss tying flies or other specialized subjects related to fly fishing. The user may search the various content providers 191, 192 for content of interest at the time of forming the document. Optionally, the user may set up a automatic poling search engine having a standing search of any new content provided by the content providers 191, 192. Thus, when the user signs on or uses a point of need printing kiosk 280 or one of many kiosks in a network of kiosks 280, the user is recognized and the standing search of new content is presented or given to the user. The user can browse the search results to determine which of the various content he or she would like to include in a document. The end result is that a user can produce a customized document that includes content from a plurality of content provides a custom document, for example, may include a portion of a book, a portion of a magazine, a portion of a newspaper or a portion of any type of content or any combination of the above.
The in-line finisher 610 (shown in
The controller 242 controls many aspects of the imaging apparatus 110. A memory 240 is attached to the controller 242. The command source 270 is also attached to the controller 242. The controller 242 is communicatively coupled to the command source 270. The command source 270 is shown connected to a display device 150. The command source 270 can be a variety of information sources such as a personal computer, work station, or server, or any other computing device, that provides image information to the controller 242 by way of a data link 274. The data link 274 may be any one of a variety of data links such as an electrical link, radio frequency link, or an infrared link. The data link transfers information between the command source 270 and the imaging apparatus 110. The imaging apparatus 110 includes the entire schematic arrangement shown in
The controller 242 controls the transfer of information between the command source 270 and a plurality of printheads 230, 231, 232 and 233 in the print zone 128 of the printing apparatus. The controller 242, in some embodiments of the invention, can monitor ink type and ink color in a plurality of reservoirs 220, 221, 222, and 223. The memory 240 also contains information as to the levels of ink within the various reservoirs 220, 221, 222, 223. In some embodiments, a fluid level sensor 2201, 2211, 2221, and 2231 is located to monitor the level of each of the various reservoirs 220, 221, 222, 223, respectively. The fluid level determined by the fluid level sensor 2201, 2211, 2221, and 2231 is placed into memory 240. Electrical contacts associated with each of the reservoirs 220, 221, 222, 223 receive signals over conductive paths represented by the line 250. It should be noted that only four printheads are shown in the schematic of
Various parameters can be stored in the storage device or memory 240, including an actual count of ink drops emitted from a particular printhead 230, 231, 232, 233, data associated with an ink reservoir or container 220, 221, 222, 223, as well as the ink type and color, the container size, the age of the ink, the printer model or identification number, and cartridge usage information. In other embodiments, a print command includes an indication of the paper type and information can be obtained from the print command regarding the type of print media being used. For example, in embodiments of printers where multiple paper trays are available, the type of print media must be designated as relating to a particular tray. In other embodiments, the resolution setting indicates that high-quality photo type print media is being used. The parameters listed above are just examples of the listings of parameters storable within the memory 240.
The controller 242 also controls other aspects of the imagining apparatus 110. For example, the controller 242 controls the source of the media used for a print job. An imaging apparatus, in some embodiments, is outfitted with a plurality of input media trays. A print command includes an indication of the paper type to be used for a print job. The various types of paper or media and their association with various print trays is stored in the memory 240 coupled to the controller 242. Therefore, in fulfilling a print command, the controller designates the print tray having the appropriate type of media or paper required by the print job. The costs of the various media can also be stored within memory 240 so that the cost associated with a print job can be determined from information in the print job, or information regarding the paper tray used for a print job and the associated cost with the media used. In addition, the memory can hold an amortized cost as well as the number of pages that can be printed over the time of amortization. Therefore an amortized cost related to the costs of wear and tear on the printing device per sheet of media can be determined by the controller 242 using information stored in the memory 240 as well a count of the number of pages associated with a print job.
The controller 242 can be either a microprocessor, a computer system, or a dedicated controller. Many times the controller 242 is associated with an information handling system that is any device that stores, manipulates or handles information. A high-speed type printer is described in
The controller 242 represents a central processing unit of any type of architecture, such as a CISC (Complex Instruction Set Computing), RISC (Reduced Instruction Set Computing), VLIW (Very Long Instruction Word), or a hybrid architecture, although any appropriate processor may be used. The controller 242 executes instructions and includes that portion of the electronic device 301 that controls the operation of the entire electronic device. Although not depicted in FIG. 5, the controller 242 typically includes a control unit 337 that organizes data and program storage in memory and transfers data and other information between the various parts of the electronic device 301. The controller 242 receives input data from the input device 340 and the network 410, reads and stores code and data in the storage device 240, and presents data to an output device 345 and/or the network 410.
Although the electronic device 300 is shown to contain only a single controller or processor 242 and a single bus 350, the present invention applies equally to electronic devices that may have multiple processors and multiple buses with some or all performing different functions in different ways.
The memory or storage device 240 represents one or more mechanisms for storing data. For example, the storage device 240 may include read only memory (ROM), random access memory (RAM), magnetic disk storage media, optical storage media, flash memory devices, and/or other machine-readable media. In other embodiments, any appropriate type of storage device may be used. Although only one storage device 240 is shown, multiple storage devices and multiple types of storage devices may be present, and in various embodiments some or all of the product codes, the control unit 337, and the products may be stored on the same or on different storage devices. Further, although the electronic device 100 is drawn to contain the storage device 240, it may be distributed across other electronic devices, for example on computers attached to the network 410.
The control unit 337 includes instructions capable of being executed on the controller or processor 242 to carry out the functions of the present invention. In another embodiment, some or all of the functions of the present invention are carried out via hardware in lieu of a processor-based system.
The input device 340 may be a keyboard, mouse or other pointing device, trackball, touchpad, touchscreen, keypad, microphone, voice recognition device, data recorder, data recognition device or any other appropriate mechanism for the user to input data to the electronic device 300. Although one input device 340 is shown, in another embodiment any number (including none) and type of input devices may be present.
The output device 345 is that part of the electronic device 300 that communicates output to the user. The output device 345 may be a cathode-ray tube (CRT) based video display. In other embodiments, the output device 345 may be a liquid crystal display (LCD) based flat panel display or gas, plasma-based, flat-panel display. In another embodiment, the output device 345 may be a speaker. In still other embodiments, any appropriate output device may be used. Although one output device 345 is shown, in other embodiments, any number (including none) of output devices of different types or of the same type may be present.
The bus 350 may represent one or more busses, e.g., PCI, ISA (Industry Standard Architecture), X-Bus, EISA (Extended Industry Standard Architecture), or any other appropriate bus and/or bridge (also called a bus controller).
The electronic device 300 may be implemented using any suitable hardware and/or software, such as a personal computer. Portable computers, laptop or notebook computers, PDAs (Personal Digital Assistants), pocket computers, telephones, pagers, appliances, and mainframe computers are examples of other possible configurations of the electronic device 301. The hardware and software depicted in
The network 410 may be any suitable network and may support any appropriate protocol suitable for communication between the electronic device 300 and other electronic devices. In an embodiment, the network 410 may support wireless communications. In another embodiment, the network 410 may support hard-wired communications, such as a telephone line or cable. In another embodiment, the network 410 may support the Ethernet IEEE (Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers) 802.3x specification. In another embodiment, the network 410 may be the Internet and may support IP (Internet Protocol). In another embodiment, the network 410 may be a local area network (LAN) or a wide area network (WAN). In another embodiment, the network 410 may be a hotspot service provider network. In another embodiment, the network 410 may be an intranet. In another embodiment, the network 410 may be a GPRS (General Packet Radio Service) network. In another embodiment, the network 410 may be any appropriate cellular data network or cell-based radio network technology. In another embodiment, the network 410 may be a wireless network. In still another embodiment, the network 410 may be any suitable network or combination of networks. Although one network 410 is shown, in other embodiments any number of networks (of the same or different types) may be present.
Aspects of an embodiment pertain to specific apparatus and method elements implementable on a computer or other electronic device. In another embodiment, the invention may be implemented as a program product for use with an electronic device. The programs defining the functions of this embodiment may be delivered to an electronic device via a variety of signal-bearing media, which include, but are not limited to:
The imaging apparatus 110, and the electronic apparatus 300 associated with the imaging apparatus (as described in
In some embodiments, the storage device 240 stores the cost of the ink as a cost per dot of ink. The processor or controller 242 records the number of dots per page and multiplies the number of dots on a particular page by the cost per dot to determine the cost of ink per page. The cost per dot of ink varies as a function of the density of dots on a page varies.
The storage device 240 stores the varying cost per dot and related dot densities per page. The storage device 240 also stores amortized costs associated with each sheet of media. The processor or controller 242 adds the amortized cost per sheet of media to the cost of the sheets of media and the cost of the ink. Allocating the cost of the print job to an entity includes storing a billing code in the data storage system that is associated with an entity. The processor 242 reads a billing code associated with the print job and allocates the cost of the print job to the entity associated with the billing code.
As shown in
The lamination assembly 764 is configured for laminating one or both sides of the two sides provided by each printed sheet 780. As shown in
Accordingly, for purposes of illustration, consider the component elements of the lamination assembly 764 for use with the first application surface 751a. and a driver roller 754 opposingly positioned from the supply roller 752 along the first application surface 751a. The supply roller 752 includes laminate media 790 in stock form. As discharged from the supply roller 752, laminate media 790 laminates one side of the printed sheet 780 along the first application surface 751a. In stock form, the laminate media 790 is removably attached to a substrate (not shown). In operation, laminate media 790 in stock form is taken from the supply roller 752 and disposed on one side of the printed sheet 780 so that the residual substrate is taken up by the driver roller 754.
The lamination assembly 764 also includes a plurality of take rollers 753. Operatively, the take rollers 753 exert compressive and tensile forces or, as commonly referred to, “nip” against the lamination media 790, as is required for laminating one side of the printed sheet 780. Shown in
The lamination assembly 764, in a preferred embodiment, includes a heat source 759. Preferably, the heat source 759 is placed adjacent to the take rollers 753. As indicated on
Referring now to
As illustrated in step 805 of
In a preferred embodiment, step 810 determines whether the desired printed image is larger than allowable standard settings for the printing system 110. The standard settings are preset within the printing system 110 by default and normally print an image on a single printed sheet 780. For a desired printed image that is within the standard settings, the module logic unit 766 in step 820 defers to the printing system 110 to print that desired image.
However, if larger than the standard settings, the module logic unit 766 in step 815 queries a system user if lamination is desired to form the needed image. If lamination is not desired, the module logic unit 766 in step 820 defers to the printing system 110 to print the image in a series of printed sheets 180. Without choosing the lamination module 750 to form the desired image through lamination, the system user must manually collect, arrange, and form the desired image with that series of printed sheets.
The lamination finishing sequence advances from step 815 to 825. Prior to forming the desired image with the lamination module 750, the module logic unit 766 determines user preferences in steps 825, 830, 843, 845, and 850. Generally, user preferences are gathered from the document command. User preferences are a combination of instructions operationally generated from the system and received from system user input. Once the user preferences are gathered, the imaging instructions are compiled 855 and rendered 860. The image is then printed 865 and the output from the printing operation are laminated according to the imaging instructions 870. After lamination, the lamination finishing sequence 800 is done 875.
Designing the document at the point of need 914, as mentioned above, also includes selecting one of a plurality of document templates. As various selections are made with respect to content of the document, as well as formatting of the document, a job ticket is built within the point of need automatic document device. The job ticket will be print job and the instructions for carrying out the print job necessary to finish the document. In some embodiments, the template will contain formats that match the capabilities of the particular point of need device. For example, if the point of need device includes a laminator 621, a stacker 625 and a perforator 626 (all shown in
In addition, in some embodiments, the various templates will include a fixed quantity of pages of media. When the templates include various fixed numbers of pages it is easier to keep track of the inventory of pages within the point of need device. In other words, each of the templates will have a fixed number of pages available for the print job. For example, if a user would like package one, the document template would allow 50 laminated pages that are stacked and perforated. There will be other packages representing other possible templates that could be used, such as package two, which might have only 25 perforated, stacked and laminated pages. A third package might have 25 pages that are stacked. In this way, it is much easier to track the inventory and consumable items, such as paper, and lamination materials available to the point of need device. Tracking the limited number of templates or packages executed by a point of need device allows a very accurate estimate of the amount of consumables left or available by multiplying the amount of resources used per package times the number of packages of a particular type. Adding the totals determines the inventory that is used. Once the inventory that is used has been determined, the amount of consumables can be subtracted from those available at a previous time so that a person maintaining the point of need device can know exactly, or estimate very closely, the amount of consumable items necessary to restock the point of need device.
In addition, using templates or packages also helps with respect to projections of use of a particular point of need device. The types of packages that are used can be watched for trends so that the mix of packages and templates can be predicted. Once a prediction is made the point of need device is appropriately restocked so that it can produce a maximum number of the most desired packages or templates. Thus, the use of templates and monitoring the number of templates or number of packages associated with the templates provides for better and easier consumable management on each of the point of need devices in the field.
Of course, before printing or producing a document from a point of need device, costs must be approved and allocated to the user. Generally, payment is secured after the user has proofed the print job but before printing.
An apparatus for publishing a customized document includes an interface to a network of computing devices, a search engine for accessing content of interest, and a device for printing and finishing a document including content from a content provider. In one embodiment, the apparatus for publishing a customized document is housed within a kiosk 280. The device for printing and finishing a customized document further includes an imaging device 110, and a finishing device 610. The imaging apparatus 110 includes a database having a plurality of templates for a selected content of interest. The plurality of templates are used to format and print a customized document. The plurality of templates includes user-defined structure, status fields and parameters for customization of the customized document. The apparatus for publishing a customized document further includes a device for proofing a customized document. At least one source of content 191, 192 is attached to the network 410. The search engine for accessing content of interest is adapted to search the at least one source of content attached to the network. In other embodiments of the apparatus for publishing a customized document, a plurality of sources of content are attached to the network. The search engine for accessing content of interest is adapted to search the plurality of sources of content attached to the network. In some embodiments, the finishing device is an in-line finisher. Different embodiments of the finishing device include a laminator, an apparatus for saddle stitching the custom document, a trimmer, and a folder.
A system for printing a document includes a network 410 having a plurality of content providers 191, 192, and an imaging apparatus 110. The system 80 also includes a content selector for selecting less than all of the content from the plurality of content providers, a document formatter for formatting the selected content into a custom document, and a document finisher associated with the imaging apparatus for finishing the custom document. The content selector, the document formatter, and the document finisher of the system are located at a point of need. The system for printing a document further includes a cost estimator for estimating the cost of a document having selected content and having a selected finish. The system for printing a document also includes a data storage system for storing information related to the cost of content and the cost of a finished document.
Although specific embodiments have been illustrated and described herein, those of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that any arrangement calculated to achieve the same purpose can be substituted for the specific embodiments shown. This disclosure is intended to cover any and all adaptations or variations of various embodiments of the invention. It is to be understood that the above description has been made in an illustrative fashion, and not a restrictive one. Combinations of the above embodiments, and other embodiments not specifically described herein will be apparent to those of skill in the art upon reviewing the above description. The scope of various embodiments of the invention includes any other applications in which the above structures and methods are used. Therefore, the scope of various embodiments of the invention should be determined with reference to the appended claims, along with the full range of equivalents to which such claims are entitled.
