1. Field of Invention
This invention is directed to systems and methods for forming composite images which include user-supplied standard or individually user-customized digital graphic elements in image forming devices.
2. Description of Related Art
A variety of systems and methods are conventionally used to form complex composite output images in image forming devices. Sheets of paper having a company's pre-printed letterhead can be stored in an individual tray in a conventional printer in order that text sent from a number of devices to that printer will result in a composite image being produced when the text of the letter is printed on the pre-printed letterhead paper. Likewise, forms can be manually fed such that the text to be included in each space on the form is printed in the correlating spaces.
Separately, an organization may choose to develop a composite image at a copier and/or facsimile machine by using a transparent plastic overlay in order to provide watermarking or other effect in a document reproduced on a copier or forwarded via facsimile transmission.
Advanced desktop publishing methods allow a user to incorporate standard and/or user-customized individual image elements to enhance the looks of output images produced. These software elements combine to provide detailed end-product images when the information is output to an image forming device.
A significant limitation of these approaches is that the manual integration required can lead to inaccuracies, inefficiencies and waste of time and print supplies. Another limitation is that expensive software may be required in order for an organization to achieve the results that are sought.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,146,275 to Tone et al. provides a different approach to the development of composite images. Tone discloses an ability at a copier to have a series of preloaded marks available. A user can then select from among a limited number of marks in order to produce the composite output image when a sheet of text is copied by the apparatus disclosed therein. A significant drawback of Tone is that flexibility is very limited or reduced. This reduced flexibility is based on the fact that only a limited number of images may be made available, and that updating the image apparatus to provide new or different marks cannot be performed by the user, but instead may generally require the assistance of the copier manufacturer's or other specially trained personnel.