Patent Application
20070009300
U.S. Pat. No. 5,133,048 to Parsons, et al. describes a procedure for providing ordered tab stock, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
The invention relates to electronic printers and printing systems, and more particularly, to a system for printing text on precut tabs of ordered tab stock.
Reprographic systems and other printing systems are intended to provide the operator or user with as many features and job programming options and selections as reasonably possible. One common programming option is choice of stock, i.e. the print media on which the prints are made. Some stock types are preordered, such as, e.g. sheets sequentially colored in different colors. One desirable preordered stock type is precut tabs. However, when using precut tab stock, a difficulty arises with respect to printing on the label portion of the tab stock as sheets of the tab stock are inserted into the printed output document.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,133,048 to Parsons, et al. deals with the problem of making sure that the image being printed matches up with the correct tab and that this remains so during the entire printing process. However, a difficulty remains with respect to entering information to be printed on the label portion of the tab stock. The user normally makes originals with printed data in locations corresponding to each tab label. The originals can be prepared on standard size paper, however, this requires shifting the printed data when printing on the tab stock which is an oversize stock because the label portion of the stock extends beyond the standard size stock dimensions. Images of the scanned originals are then transferred to the tab stock label by one of several methods, each of which is cumbersome and labor intensive. For example, in one method, the user prints the tab pages as a separate job, shifting the images if necessary, and then inserts the printed tab pages into the output document as preprinted tab pages, either manually or by carefully programming insertion of the preprinted tab pages.
In another method, the user combines the preprinted tab originals into the original input document set and then programs the tab stock as a special stock, again including an image shift to shift the printed portion onto the label portion of the tab stock in the printed output document. This is, like the first method, time consuming, and error prone if the user inadvertently programs the image shift for the preprinted tab stock and subsequently forgets to remove the shift for the following input job segment. The problem is exacerbated if the input the print job is a duplex job, which is most common for jobs involving tab stock inserts. In this case, the user switches between duplex mode, for the input document, and simplex mode, for the preprinted tab stock, making the process even more error prone and difficult.
The present application provides an improved method for adding text to the label portion of tab stock, making the process more user friendly and less error prone.
According to aspects illustrated herein, there is provided a method for printing tab information on tab stock inserted into a print job output. The method includes displaying a tab programming window on a tab programming screen of a user interface for receiving user-inputted data and information. The user inputs tab label data for at least one sheet of tab stock to be inserted into the print job output, tab label data orientation information, and tab stock size information. The received tab label data is printed on a label portion of a corresponding inserted tab sheet in accordance with the received tab label data orientation information.
According to further aspects illustrated herein, there is also provided a second method for printing tab information on tab stock inserted into a print job output. The second method includes scanning an input document segment comprising a portion of the input document, storing the scanned input segment in a memory, and selectively performing a tab insert process. The tab insert process includes displaying a tab programming window on a tab programming screen of a user interface for receiving user-inputted data and information, and receiving tab label data inputted by the user for at least one sheet of tab stock to be inserted into the print job output. Also received is tab label data orientation information and tab stock size information inputted by the user. A tab stock sheet image is inserted into the memory following the stored scanned input segment, including the received tab label data on a label portion of the tab stock sheet image in accordance with the received tab label data orientation information. The scanning an input document segment, the storing the scanned input segment, and the selectively performing a tab insert process are repeated for the remaining input document segments. The stored job segments and the inserted tab stock images are then printed.
According to still further aspects illustrated herein, there is provided printing system including an input section, a user interface, a multi-function finisher, a main memory, and a system controller. The input section includes a scanning system for scanning documents to be processed by the printing system, and the system controller includes program logic. The program logic is configured to display a tab programming window on a tab programming screen of a user interface for receiving user-inputted data and information, receive tab label data inputted by the user for at least one sheet of tab stock to be inserted into the print job output, receive tab label data orientation information inputted by the user, receive tab stock size information inputted by the user, and print the received tab label data on a label portion of a corresponding inserted tab sheet in accordance with the received tab label data orientation information.
With reference to
Input to be processed by the printing system 10, in some embodiments, may be received from a media drive bay 30 which can accept document submissions in the form of files from a variety of media such as, e.g., DVD-RAM, DVD-ROM, DVD-R, CD-R, CD-RW, CD-DA, CD-ROM/XA, CD-ROM, CD-I, CD-EXTRA, CD-TEXT, and VIDEO-CD formats. Document or file submissions to the printing system 10 may also be received by means of a network connection (not shown). The feed module 16 may include a number of paper or substrate trays 32-38, each of which is normally used to supply a substrate for use by the printing system 10. For example, the first substrate tray 32 may be used for providing tab stock to the printing system 10 for inserting tabs into the printed output document. The main substrate tray 34 is normally used to supply the most commonly used paper, such as 8½×11 letter sized stock. The third and fourth substrate trays 36, 38 may be used to supply alternate sizes of paper or printable stock.
The user interface 12 normally includes a display screen 40, a keyboard 42, and a pointing device 44 which enables a user at the user interface 12 to interface with the printing system 10 for inputting commands to the printing system, viewing the current status of various components of the printing system, and observing informational messages displayed on the display screen 40. The display screen 40, in some embodiments, may be a touch screen to further facilitate a user friendly interface with the printing system 10. The multi-function finisher 22 includes a main tray stacker 46 for receiving printed documents, and may optionally include a top tray 48 and a lower tray 50. The multi-function finisher 22 is typically configured to perform a variety of functions, such as folding documents, making booklets, stapling bindings, and collating documents, in addition to the normal stacking of output.
With reference now to
The controller section 54 includes an input image controller 64, the user interface 12, a system controller 66, a main memory 68, an image manipulation section 70, and an image output controller 72. Data received from the processor 60 by the controller section 54 is compressed by an image compressor/processor 74. Image data passed through the compressor/processor 74 is normally segmented into slices N scan lines wide, each slice having a slice pointer. The compressed image data, together with slice pointers and any related image descriptive data providing image specific information (such as height and width of the document in pixels, the compression method used, pointers to the compressed image data, and pointers to the image slice pointers, etc.) are placed in an image file. The image files, which represent different copy/print jobs, are temporarily stored in a system memory 76 which usually comprises a random access memory (RAM) pending transfer to the main memory 68 where the data is held pending use. The main memory 68 may include one or more hard discs 78 for additionally storing machine operating system software, machine operating data, and the scanned image data currently being processed.
The printer section 56 includes a raster output scanner (ROS) 80, a print module section 82, a paper supply section 84, including the previously described paper trays 32-38, and the multi-function finisher 22. The ROS 80 is configured with a laser source for providing an imaging beam to transfer images received from the image output controller 72 to a photoreceptor included in the print module 82. Developed images on the photoreceptor are then transferred and permanently fixed by a fuser to a substrate provided from any of the paper trays 32-38. The finisher 22 then provides any selected finishing functions to the processed substrate such as stitching or stapling as previously described.
For the purpose of providing a full appreciation of advantages of concepts of the present application, a typical prior art procedure for inserting printed tab stock into the output of a document copy job is now described. Build Job is a procedure provided on the printing system 10 that is used to combine multiple document scans, each scan having different job programming, into a single combined output. For example, Build Job allows you to scan different types of documents either from the document input tray 24, or directly from the platen, in the scanning system 28 in separate segments and then combine those separate scan segments into one cohesive output document. For this reason, Build Job is often used to insert printed tab stock into the output where each tab is considered as a separate job segment.
Basically, the user scans a first job segment and then scans a printed sheet having desired tab stock text preprinted on the sheet as a following job segment. However, because the scanned sheet is typically smaller than the tab stock because the tab stock includes an extended tab label portion, the user must remember to select an option to shift the printing on the scanned sheet in order to move the printed output onto the label portion of the tab stock. For example, when scanning 8½ by 11 documents and inserting tab sheets which, including the tab label portion, are 9×11 inches, the user typically scans a preprinted sheet of 8½ by 11 paper having appropriate tab text on it and then selects an option to shift that scanned image ½ inch in the direction of the label portion in order to move the desired text onto the tab label portion of the output tab sheet.
With reference now to
When the user has programmed all of the necessary job level settings, other tabs in the Build Job screen 100 become active enabling the user to perform segment level programming for the first segment. For example, as shown in the figure, a Basic tab is active enabling the user to select job segment parameters such as paper attributes as provided in a Paper Stock window 106, sides to be imaged as provided in a Sides Imaged menu 108, reduction or enlargement options as provided in a Reduce/Enlarge menu 110, and other image adjustments such as the one provided by a Darken/Lighten slider 112. It is to be appreciated that there may be a large number of additional segment level programming options selected under additional segment level tabs 114, however, a detailed description of these is not necessary for an understanding of the present application.
When the user has completed the segment level programming, a start button, or icon, 116 is selected to initiate scanning of the job segment at the input section 14 of the printing system 10. After the user has completed scanning the first job segment, the user places a printed sheet having the correct tab information at the input section 14. Typically, if the tab stock provided in one of the paper trays 32-38 is 9×11 inches overall, for example, the sheet placed in the input section 14 will have printing along one edge of an 8½×11 sheet of paper, at least in the correct position for the label portion of the corresponding tab sheet in the input tray, except shifted to fit within the confines of the 8½×11 sheet. In order to save time and to reduce the number of errors, the sheet placed in the input section 14 may have printing along one edge corresponding to all possible tab label positions. For example, if the user is using five-cut tab stock, i.e., tab stock that has five different tab label positions, the printed sheet may have appropriate text for each of the five tab label positions. Of course, the preprinted text on the sheet must be correctly oriented or rotated in order to print correctly on the label portion of the tab stock. Normally, a 90 degree counter-clockwise rotation is appropriate to put the text in alignment with the tabs.
The user can now select the Basic tab 104 to perform segment level programming for the current tab segment sheet in the input section 14. Importantly, the Sides Imaged menu 108 should be adjusted to show one-sided to one-sided regardless of the type of copying being performed for the remainder of the copy job. That is to say, even if the document being copied is being copied in a duplex mode, two-sided to two-sided, or even one-sided to two-sided, the tab segment portion of the job must be treated as a one-sided to one-sided segment. Also importantly, the paper stock pull down menu 106 must be adjusted to indicate that 9×11 precut tab stock is being selected from one of the paper trays 32-28 of the feed module 16 for the current tab segment.
Also importantly, the user must remember now to select the Image Edit tab 118 which brings up an image edit screen 120 as shown in
Each remaining document segment to be copied is now processed by the user at the printing system 10 in the same fashion as the first document segment and the first tab segment described above. However, the possibility of making an error or mistake during this process is readily apparent. For example, at the beginning of each document segment, because the user has changed the Basic Tab 104 settings and the Image Edit 118 tab settings to correspond to tab stock, the user must remember at the beginning of each document segment to return to the Basic Tab 104 programming screen and reprogram the segment to correspond to the upcoming input document. This includes remembering to reprogram the Sides Imaged menu if it is other than one-sided to one-sided and, importantly, the Loaded Stock menu 106 must be adjusted to conform to the current document segment being scanned. Also, importantly, but easy to overlook, the user must remove any shift amounts provided for the tab stock in the Image Edit screen 120 in order to avoid erroneously shifting the input document images. Any error introduced during these programming steps is very difficult, if not impossible, to correct after a segment has been scanned. Thus, it is readily apparent why an improved method of providing textual information for printing on tab stock as provided by the current application is very beneficial.
With reference now to
Having now entered the various specifications regarding the tab stock to be inserted into the document stream, the user may now enter appropriate textual information to be printed on the inserted tab. In a Tab Text window 144, the user may enter specific text to be printed on the tab label portion of the tab stock. Although, in the particular example shown, the user has entered specific text, namely, “Chapter 1,” it is to be appreciated that various automatic text generation symbols may be entered into the tab text window 144. For example, as is known in the art, a pound symbol (#) can be used to represent an automatically incrementing number for sequentially numbered tab inserts. Features such as this further reduce the likelihood for errors by eliminating the necessity of manually remembering to enter an appropriate number for each tab. Further, because the tab insert function knows which tab label position is in the appropriate paper feed tray, the possibility of printing in the inter page gap area is greatly reduced. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,133,048 to Parsons, et al. describes a procedure for providing ordered tab stock which maintains produced prints in correct sequence with tabbed stock. However, in prior art implementations, a user might prepare a tab image having textural information in all of the available tab label positions in order to reduce the user's work load. In doing this, however, for each sheet of tab stock inserted into the job stream, printing in the inter page gap area would occur, thereby undesirably depositing toner on the imaging drum in an area where it must be later removed.
A further advantage provided by the Build Job Tabs window 130 is the retention of entered information from a previous tab insert. For example, the text entered into the tab text window 144 may optionally remain from one tab insert to the next, whereby the user only changes information appropriate to the current tab label, such as the chapter number in the example shown. The user is also provided with a Tab Text Orientation window 146 for specifying an orientation of the text to be printed in the tab label area. In the example shown, the normal orientation is rotated 90 degrees counter-clockwise so that the text prints parallel to the narrow dimension of the tab label. Any number of tab text orientations may be provided in the orientation window 146 such as, e.g., printing the text in a vertical orientation from top to bottom on the respective tab label.
Optionally, the user may provide text to print in the body of the tab stock by using Tab Body Text window 148. Because the body text prints in a larger area than the label portion, Tab Body Text window 148 may optionally include automatic wrapping of the text within predetermined margin settings. Other formatting options normal to printing text may also be included, such as the ability to underline, italicize, or to select various fonts, for example. A Tab Body Text Orientation window 150 is provided so that the user may specify an orientation of the tab body text in a manner similar to the above-described Tab Text Orientation window 146.
When the user has reviewed the information entered on the Build Job Tabs window 130 and is satisfied that it is correct, an Add Tab function 152 may be selected to insert the respective tab sheet into the document stream at the end of the current Build Job segment since no insertion location is specified in the Build Job Tabs feature window 130 as previously described. On the other hand, the user may select a Reset function 154 to restore each of the windows in the Build Job Tabs window 130 to their original default status in order to reenter the appropriate tab information, or to start programming for a different format of tab. A Close function 156 is provided so that the user may close the Build Job Tabs window 130 and return to the main Build Job window 100 as shown in
It should be readily apparent that there is a significant advantage to be gained by entering tab textual information according to the procedure described with reference to
Each time the user inserted a tab into the document stream, the user had to necessarily remember each of the parameters changed in the Build Job screen 100 and restore those parameters to their correct settings for the document being scanned. This introduced a great likelihood for error in the scanning process. On the other hand, the procedure described with respect to the present application eliminates or greatly reduces this possibility for error. When the user has successfully entered a new tab into the document stream by means of the Add Tab function 152 and closes the Build Job Tabs window 130 by means of the Close function 156, all of the previously entered document and option settings in the Build Job window 100 of
According to another embodiment of the present application, tab pages having user-inputted textual information to be printed on them may be inserted without using the Build Job procedure described with reference to
With reference now to
If, however, it was determined at step 170 that a Build Job process is to be performed, the system opens the Build Job Tabs window 130 at step 190. The user then programs any required job programming information at step 192, and then programs the first and additional job segments at step 194. For each segment, at step 196, it is determined if a tab is to be inserted. If so, a tab programming window is opened at step 198, the appropriate tab stock is programmed at step 200, and appropriate tab text and tab body text, as previously described, is programmed at step 202. Following this, the user indicates that a tab is to be added to the job being built at step 204, and the tab programming window is closed at step 206. Subsequently, the current segment is scanned at step 208. Similarly, if it was determined at step 196 that no tab insertion is necessary for this job segment, processing would continue at step 208 for scanning the current segment. At step 210, a determination is made as to whether more job segments are to be processed or scanned and, if more segments are to be scanned, processing returns to step 194 for segment programming. Otherwise, normal Build Job processing continues at step 212.
It will be appreciated that various of the above-disclosed and other features and functions, or alternatives thereof, may be desirably combined into many other different systems or applications. Also that various presently unforeseen or unanticipated alternatives, modifications, variations or improvements therein may be subsequently made by those skilled in the art which are also intended to be encompassed by the following claims.
