The general field of the invention is that of data processing, and, more specifically, print stream processing. In its most specific segmentation, the field is that of optimization of those devices directed to processing a print stream for the purpose of producing a plurality of mailpieces.
In the past several years, significant changes have occurred in the operation of high volume document production centers. These centers have merged traditional printing capabilities with mailroom production facilities. Executives tasked with the management of both print and mail operations are expected to play an ever-growing role in the creation and design of document centers that will deliver effective, high quality, and high integrity output. The current development and emphasis on these centers in corporations or regional centers has lead to the growing use of the term xe2x80x9cAutomated Document Factoryxe2x80x9d (hereinafter xe2x80x9cADFxe2x80x9d) to describe consolidated printing and mail finishing operations.
In current practice, large mailing companies tend to separate the process of creating documents from the process of manufacturing documents (mailpieces). The print center tasked with finishing the created document receives both scheduled and scheduled print jobs with a wide range of requirements. These print jobs are evaluated, scheduled, and executed in the print/finish center.
Because the print/finish center has traditionally been xe2x80x9cinformation systems poor,xe2x80x9d most of the work required to prepare or xe2x80x9cconditionxe2x80x9d the print job for manufacturing was created in the business unit or print service client. Typical conditioning processes include: performing postal address hygiene; adding PostNet(trademark) barcodes; presorting mailings; adding inserter barcode instructions; adjusting printer paper size and orientation; and, adding spot color instructions.
The manager of such a print/finish operation, seeking to maximize efficiency through optimal use of equipment and decision making tools, is faced with a dilemma. First, the decisions about the structure and management of the print/finish center are generally made outside of the center; the decisions are generally made by the Information Systems (IS) group creating the print job and its associated print stream. Document manufacturing requests are also assigned lower priorities, further limiting management control. Second, the hardware systems and their associated peripheral devices are often sourced from different manufacturers so that the printers and inserters being fed by the print stream are relying on differing motivators from the print stream.
To help classify and organize the concept of the emerging print/finish center, an architecture has been developed within the print stream industry that is referred to as the ADF. The Automated Document Factory(trademark) architecture proposed by the Gartner Group of Stamford, Conn., provides a model for a set of processes that prepares and positions enterprises to manage the creation and delivery of high-volume digitized documents by using factory production techniques that appropriately and optimally mechanize document production. The raw materials of production (i.e., the document data and preparation instructions), enter the ADF which transforms them into digital documents and prepares them for delivery.
The architecture for the ADF is comprised of four (4) modules; these include: input; transformation; delivery and preparation; and, control and reporting. Each module, or building block, is made up of other modules and each is connected by a series of interfaces, or links.
Each of the building blocks must be linked through effective communication which includes the tracking and measurement of the input and output of the document manufacturing hardware and associated peripherals. To enhance productivity and costeffectiveness of the overall system, systems managers need to be able to scrutinize every element of the print job process to see where improvements can be made. Thus, each of the modules takes on an increased significance when viewed with respect to their relationship with the overall system.
There is thus a need to provide each of the modules for the ADF so that the structure can be self supporting and viable. The input module is where all of the data and instructions needed to transform the arriving print stream data into documents enters the ADF. The present invention is currently being introduced to the print stream market by the assignee of the present invention, Pitney Bowes Inc. of Stamford, Conn., as the InStream(trademark) server which is designed as the input module for the ADF.
It is an object of the present invention to provide the input module to the conceptual ADF frame by describing herein an open systems, client-server technology for facilitating automated document manufacturing techniques.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a method of optimizing the use of hardware and associated peripheral devices in manufacturing documents that have been digitally delivered through the input module. Additionally, it is further object of the present invention to measure the activities of each of the hardware and peripheral components so that accurate reporting can be made so as to facilitate subsequent job performance decisions and so as to maximize system utility and performance.
According to the invention, the above objects are achieved and the disadvantages of the prior art are overcome by a method and system for print stream determination wherein the print stream is directed to a print processing application for determining a job to be performed by a print processing system. The preferred embodiment of the system will include peripheral devices for producing mailpieces from the print stream as determined by job tickets established by the print processing application.
The system""s method begins with the initiation of a print stream processing application to which a print stream is directed. The print stream is initiated at any one of a number of print service clients which would include: print servers; digital document delivery; and, finishing equipment. A print job is determined from a set of characteristics resident in the print stream; these characteristics might include: document text; mailpiece definition; volume; and, routing instructions for routing the print stream to a corresponding peripheral device driver of a corresponding peripheral device; and, elements for determining device driver definition elements for defining characteristics and capabilities of each of the corresponding peripheral devices.
The optimal use determination is made by comparing each of the job definition elements with each of the device driver definition elements. The comparison of the job definition elements with each of the device driver definition elements further comprises a number of steps which begins with determination of a range or a value for each of the job definition elements wherein the range or the value is representative of a desired result. A range or a value for each of the device driver definition elements is determined wherein the range or value is representative of a potential result. Each of the ranges or values for the device driver definition elements is compared to each corresponding one of the ranges or values for the job definition elements to determine whether or not each of the desired results has a corresponding potential result.
If no corresponding potential result can be established in the comparison steps of the methodology, then the application queries the print processing system to determine whether or not an alternative peripheral device, with a matching value or range, is a component of the system. If an alternative peripheral device is a component of the system, then the application performs a comparison of the non-corresponding potential result with the matching value for the alternative peripheral; and, if no peripheral device is a component of the system, then the application will select a default peripheral device. The print stream will then be directed to the selected device for processing. The optimal peripheral devices might include: a printer; a second memory; a data processing application for further applying the application output stream; an envelope printer for printing address data on one or more envelopes; a document printer for printing one or more pages; a collator for collating a plurality of pages printed by the document printer; and/or, an inserter for inserting the one or more printed pages into a corresponding envelope.
Based upon print stream characteristics, the print processing application will determine the optimal use of the system""s peripheral devices for performing the job. Additionally, the application will determine one or more application output streams wherein each one of the one or more output streams is directed to a corresponding peripheral device. Once the print stream has been analyzed, and the use of peripheral devices determined, the application establishes a job ticket representative of the print job and the optimal use of the one or more corresponding peripheral devices. The job ticket is saved in a memory of the print processing system for current and/or later use. If the job is to be performed essentially simultaneously with the processing of the stream, then the system performs the print job as described in saved job ticket; and can produce one or more reports indicative of the job performance. The reports are printed on a printer operatively associated with the print processing system, or may be downloaded to a memory medium such as a diskette, tape, or hard disk, or to a communication link such as a modem, or to both a memory and a communications device.
The method is capable of performing other tasks as derived from a legacy application which contributes a set of print data to the print processing system. The print processing system applies the set of print data to a set of one or more pre-determined job processes which might include: postal sorting; address cleansing; and, bar coding.