International Business Machines Corporation

Ricoh Company, Ltd.

Infoprintsolutions Company, LLC

Ricoh Production Print Solutions LLC

Adam A Swartz

Leonard Corning Lahey

Dwight Ross Palmer

Carl Michael Dennison

Robert Curt Nielsen

Ned Otey

Brent James Winters

John Stuart Walker

Michael Glen Lotz

Anthony Franke Stuart

David Lee Stokes

Brian William Moroney

Jagdish Mooljee Nagda

Arthur Ray Roberts

Mark Andrew Stephens

Ronald L Heiney

Gary Alan Koets

Garrett L Thompson

Combining multiple pages of an AFP print job into a single AFP output page that can be more efficiently printed is described. A print job is received, where pages in the print job begin with a first electronic marker indicative of a beginning of the page and ends with a second electronic marker indicative of an end of the page. A first page and a second page in the print job are identified to combine together into an output page, and an amount of offset for page contents of the second page is determined. The page contents of the second page are shifted by the amount of the offset. The first electronic marker is removed from the first page, the second electronic marker is removed from the second page, and page contents of the first page and shifted page contents of the second page are combined together into the output page. The output page is transmitted to a printer for printing.

Modification of advanced function presentation (AFP) print jobs

Systems and methods are provided for managing a print job archive. The system includes a plurality of databases that store print job properties, wherein at least one database is designated to record the print job properties as a function of a predetermined characteristic of the print job. The system also includes an interface that receives multiple print jobs, and a data distribution module coupled with the plurality of databases and the interface. For each of the multiple print jobs, the data distribution module categorizes the print job based on at least one predetermined characteristic, identifies a database among the plurality of databases that is designated for the print jobs as a function of the at least one predetermined characteristic, and stores the print jobs in the identified database as a function of the at least one predetermined characteristic.

Distributed data tables for print jobs in a print workflow system

Methods and systems are provided for verifying the receipt of print jobs submitted to an Automated Document Factory (ADF) system from a client. The ADF system receives a print work summary from the client indicating print jobs scheduled for submission to the ADF system. The ADF system may then receive print jobs from the client. A determination is made regarding the differences between the print jobs received from the client and the print jobs scheduled for submission as indicated in the print work summary. A tracking report is generated indicating the differences, and a notification is provided to the client when the tracking report indicates that a difference exists between the print jobs received from the client and the print jobs indicated in the print work summary.

Receipt verification of print jobs in an automated document factory environment

The systems and methods presented herein provide for processing print jobs in an Automated Document Factory (ADF) system. More specifically, these embodiments provide for the selected removal of certain documents after processing of the print job has already initiated (e.g., printing, sorting, inserting, etc.). In one embodiment, a method of processing print jobs through the ADF system includes receiving a print job from a host system via the ADF system. The print job comprises a plurality of documents. The method also includes initiating printing of the documents in the print job, and processing an instruction that identifies at least one document in the print job for removal after initiating printing of the print job. The method also includes removing the at least one document from the print job based on the instruction and processing the remaining documents in the print job through the ADF.

Print job processing in an automated document factory environment

Systems and methods for an Automated Document Factory (ADF) system configured to print a web in a 4-up format and to handle the web with 2-up post-print equipment. One embodiment is an apparatus that includes a post-print system. The post-print system receives a web of media printed in an N-up format where N is three or more. The post-print system includes a cutting unit that cuts the web along a length to form segments. A first segment includes documents printed in a 2-up format. The post-print system also includes a 2-up handler that receives the first segment, reads an instruction printed on the first segment that includes handling information for the documents printed on the first segment, and processes the documents printed on the first segment based on the handling information.

Partitioned handling of documents printed in an N-up format

Systems and methods for modification of post-print instructions. The system includes a data center and a post-printing system. The data center is operable to receive a first print job that includes a plurality of documents and a first post-print instruction defining how the documents are processed after printing. The data center is also operable to receive a request that one or more documents in the print job be processed according to a second post-print instruction, and to extract the document(s) from the print job to generate a second print job. The second print job includes the extracted document(s) and the second post-print instruction defining how the document(s) are processed after printing. The post-printing system is operable to process the remaining documents of the first print job according to the first post-print instruction, and to process the document(s) of the second print job according to the second post-print instruction.

Modification of post-print instructions for documents of print jobs already within an ADF system

A system and method for enforcing a usage control for a document, including: receiving an encrypted message, the encrypted message including a first key and a usage information authorization for the document, the encrypted message responsive to a second key to extract the first key and the usage information authorization; accepting an encrypted device datastream and securely decrypting the encrypted device datastream using the first key by a device, the device manager: generating a decrypted device datastream derived from the encrypted device datastream, transmitting the decrypted device datastream to the device without writing the decrypted device datastream to a user-accessible memory; and using the second key to access a datastore and to update a usage record for the document with the usage information authorization and a device status signal, the serializer providing the device manager with the print authorization signal when a device request is consistent with the usage record.

Secure print control and rights management system

A customer record is generated to include fields specifying at least one product, customer preferences, and a selected delivery option indicating a method to deliver generated output material on the product. A job record including a status field is added to a job status table and set to a first status. A first worker is invoked if the selected job has the first status to generate output material from processing the product and customer preference fields in the customer record for the selected job. The status for the selected job in the job status table is set to a second status after generating the output material with the first worker. A second worker is invoked if the selected job has the second status to determine whether a selected one of a plurality of delivery options from the customer record for the selected job and transmits the output material via the determined delivery option to the customer specified in the customer record.

Database driven workflow management system for generating output material based on customer input

A print job is preferably displayed using a visual job ticketing application. An operator is enabled to create multiple job tickets describing print parameters to be applied to the print job. Using the visual job ticketing application, the operator may select a previously created job ticket to be used to display and/or print the print job. Alterations made to the print job are automatically propagated across all associated print job tickets. When creating new print job tickets, the operator may choose to start with a blank job ticket, a default job ticket, the last active job ticket or any previously created job ticket.

Method, apparatus and program product providing for multiple print job tickets per print job source file

Disclosed is a workflow management system for creating and delivering output material. A customer record is generated to include fields specifying at least one product, customer preferences, and a selected output method to deliver generated output material on the product specified in the customer record. A job record including a status field is added to a job status table for the customer record and set to a first status. A first worker generates output material from processing the product and customer preference fields in the customer record for the selected job, and sets the status for the selected job to a second status. A second worker determines a selected one of a plurality of delivery options from the customer record for the selected job and transmits the output material via the determined delivery option to the customer specified in the customer record.

Disclosed is a method, system, and program for processing a job in a workflow environment. A signal is generated when status for the job is changed from a first status to a second status. A work process associated with the second status is notified that one job had its status changed to the second status in response to the signal. The work process processes the job that had its status changed from the first status to the second status and modifies the status of the job after completing the processing of the job.

Method, system, and program for processing a job in an event driven workflow environment

Disclosed is a method, system, and program for checking an electronic representation of a print job. Information on a set of attributes of a print job indicated in a first computer readable file is compared with a set of same attributes of the print job indicated in a second computer readable file. A determination is made as to whether the information on the same set of attributes of the print job in the first and second computer readable files are inconsistent and each inconsistency is indicated.

Method, system, and program for determining consistency of information on a print job

A print job is displayed as a sequence of pages. An operator is enabled to create artificial pages representing such elements as cover pages and preprinted sheets which are normally apart from the print job data file. The artificial pages are inserted into a display of the real pages defined by the print job data file or original document and are therefore displayed visually just as the other document pages are displayed. They can be manipulated just like other pages; that is, they can be moved, deleted, replaced and so on.

Growing community of inventors

Thornton, CO, United States of America

Adam A Swartz