US5793938A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Document printing management system
Assignee: Ikon Office Solutions Inc
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Filing: 1995-12-28
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Granted: 1998-08-11
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Expires: 2015-12-28
Abstract
Abstract A computer-aided document printing management system for the seamless transmission and reproduction of documents, created in digital format at a computer terminal, at a remote high-speed printing facility. The documents are reformatted and compressed into a cross-platform format with all resources for printing necessary at the facility. The documents and an electronic work order entered at the computer terminal are compressed into a single electronic folder for transmission to the printing facility, where it is decompressed and separated into work order and job databases for printing according to the instructions therein. The reformatted documents may be previewed before transmission to the facility, audited for compression integrity at both the computer terminal and at the facility, and the files maintained in a central storage facility after the work order is completed.
Inventors
- 👤 Willie A. Jackson, Jr.
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-07 15:04
CPC Classifications
G; G06; G06F; G06F3/00; G06F3/12; G06F3/1297; H; H04; H04N; H04N2201/00; H04N2201/0008; H04N2201/0065
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 24
Claim 1
Independent Claim
134 words
A computer-aided method for producing at a remote high speed printing facility a document file created in digital format at a computer terminal, the method comprising in combination, the steps of: reformatting the document file at the computer terminal in a cross-platform format with printer resources embedded therein; preparing an electronic work order file at the terminal by displaying a work order form and entering in the work order a description of the required work, general and account information, and paper and stock required; combining the reformatted document and work order files into a single electronic folder; transmitting the combined folder to the printing facility; separating the reformatted document and work order files; entering the reformatted document file into a high speed printer; and initiating operation of the printer according to the work order.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
134 words
A computer-aided method for producing at a remote high speed printing facility a document file created in digital format at a computer terminal, the method comprising in combination, the steps of: reformatting the document file at the computer terminal in a cross-platform format with printer resources embedded therein; preparing an electronic work order file at the terminal by displaying a work order form and entering in the work order a description of the required work, general and account information, and paper and stock required; combining the reformatted document and work order files into a single electronic folder; transmitting the combined folder to the printing facility; separating the reformatted document and work order files; entering the reformatted document file into a high speed printer; and initiating operation of the printer according to the work order.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
20 words
A computer-aided method according to claim 1 wherein the printer resources embedded in the reformatting step include fonts and graphics.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
28 words
A computer-aided method according to claim 1 further comprising the step of transmitting the document and work order file at the printing facility to a data storage center.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
19 words
A computer-aided method according to claim 1 wherein the combined folder is delivered by diskette to the printing facility.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
20 words
A computer-aided method according to claim 1 wherein the combined folder is transmitted by wide-area network to the printing facility.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
119 words
A computer-aided method for producing at a remote high speed printing facility a document file created in digital format at a computer terminal, the method comprising in combination, the steps of: reformatting the document file at the computer terminal in a cross-platform format with printer resources embedded therein; preparing an electronic work order file at the terminal; translating the work order file into an external data object code: combining the reformatted document and translated work order files into a single electronic folder; transmitting the combined folder to the printing facility; separating the reformatted document and work order files; entering the reformatted document file into a high speed printer; and initiating operation of the printer according to the work order.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
119 words
A computer-aided method for producing at a remote high speed printing facility a document file created in digital format at a computer terminal, the method comprising in combination, the steps of: reformatting the document file at the computer terminal in a cross-platform format with printer resources embedded therein; preparing an electronic work order file at the terminal; translating the work order file into an external data object code: combining the reformatted document and translated work order files into a single electronic folder; transmitting the combined folder to the printing facility; separating the reformatted document and work order files; entering the reformatted document file into a high speed printer; and initiating operation of the printer according to the work order.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
126 words
A computer-aided method for producing at a remote high speed printing facility a document file created in digital format at a computer terminal, the method comprising in combination, the steps of: reformatting the document file at the computer terminal in a cross-platform format with printer resources embedded therein; preparing an electronic work order file at the terminal; combining the reformatted document and work order files into a single electronic folder; transmitting the combined folder to the printing facility; separating the reformatted document and work order files and extracting the reformatted document and work order files into a work order database and a job database, respectively; entering the reformatted document file into a high speed printer; and initiating operation of the printer according to the work order.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
126 words
A computer-aided method for producing at a remote high speed printing facility a document file created in digital format at a computer terminal, the method comprising in combination, the steps of: reformatting the document file at the computer terminal in a cross-platform format with printer resources embedded therein; preparing an electronic work order file at the terminal; combining the reformatted document and work order files into a single electronic folder; transmitting the combined folder to the printing facility; separating the reformatted document and work order files and extracting the reformatted document and work order files into a work order database and a job database, respectively; entering the reformatted document file into a high speed printer; and initiating operation of the printer according to the work order.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
122 words
A computer-aided method for producing at a remote high speed printing facility a document file created in digital format at a computer terminal, the method comprising in combination, the steps of: reformatting the document file at the computer terminal in a cross-platform format with printer resources embedded therein; preparing an electronic work order file at the terminal; combining the reformatted document and work order files into a single electronic folder; creating an audit file at the terminal for checking integrity of the reformatted document; transmitting the combined folder to the printing facility; separating the reformatted document and the work order files; entering the reformatted document file into a high speed printer; and initiating operation of the printer according to the work order.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
122 words
A computer-aided method for producing at a remote high speed printing facility a document file created in digital format at a computer terminal, the method comprising in combination, the steps of: reformatting the document file at the computer terminal in a cross-platform format with printer resources embedded therein; preparing an electronic work order file at the terminal; combining the reformatted document and work order files into a single electronic folder; creating an audit file at the terminal for checking integrity of the reformatted document; transmitting the combined folder to the printing facility; separating the reformatted document and the work order files; entering the reformatted document file into a high speed printer; and initiating operation of the printer according to the work order.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
46 words
A computer-aided method according to claim 8 in which the document file is compressed at the computer terminal and the combined folder is decompressed at the printing facility, and further comprising the step of executing the audit file at the printing facility before decompressing the folder.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
25 words
A computer-aided method according to claim 9 further comprising executing the audit file at the terminal before transmitting the combined folder to the printing facility.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
143 words
A computer-aided document printing management system for producing at a printing facility document files created in a digital format at a computer terminal, comprising the steps of: formatting the document files at the terminal in a cross-platform format with embedded resources of fonts and graphics; displaying a work order form at the terminal; entering in the work order a description of the work required, general and account information, and paper and stock required; combining the formatted document and work order files into a single electronic folder, the work order being translated to external data object code; transmitting the combined folder to the printing facility; separating the formatted document and work order files into a job database and a work order database, respectively; entering the formatted document file into a high speed printer; and initiating operation of the printer according to the work order.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
143 words
A computer-aided document printing management system for producing at a printing facility document files created in a digital format at a computer terminal, comprising the steps of: formatting the document files at the terminal in a cross-platform format with embedded resources of fonts and graphics; displaying a work order form at the terminal; entering in the work order a description of the work required, general and account information, and paper and stock required; combining the formatted document and work order files into a single electronic folder, the work order being translated to external data object code; transmitting the combined folder to the printing facility; separating the formatted document and work order files into a job database and a work order database, respectively; entering the formatted document file into a high speed printer; and initiating operation of the printer according to the work order.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
35 words
A computer-aided document printing management system according to claim 11 further comprising the steps of creating an audit file at the terminal and using the audit file to check the integrity of the reformatted document.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
29 words
A computer-aided document printing management system according to claim 11 further comprising the step of creating an audit file at the terminal for checking integrity of the reformatted document.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
34 words
A computer-aided document printing management system according to claim 11 further comprising the step of executing the audit file for checking the integrity of the combined folder before transmission thereof to the printing facility.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
31 words
A computer-aided document printing management system according to claim 11 further comprising the step of executing the audit file at the printing facility for checking the integrity of the combined folder.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
31 words
A computer-aided document printing management system according to claim 11 further comprising the step of transmitting the document and work order file at the printing facility to a data storage center.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
108 words
A computer-aided method for producing at a remote high speed printing facility document files created in digital format at computer terminals at locations remote from the printing facility, the method comprising in combination, the steps of: reformatting the document files at the computer terminals in a cross-platform format with printer resources embedded therein; creating and executing audit files at the terminals, for checking the integrity of the reformatted documents; after executing said audit files, transmitting the reformatted document files to the printing facility over a wide area network; entering the reformatted document files into a high speed printer; and printing documents from the document files, using the printer.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
108 words
A computer-aided method for producing at a remote high speed printing facility document files created in digital format at computer terminals at locations remote from the printing facility, the method comprising in combination, the steps of: reformatting the document files at the computer terminals in a cross-platform format with printer resources embedded therein; creating and executing audit files at the terminals, for checking the integrity of the reformatted documents; after executing said audit files, transmitting the reformatted document files to the printing facility over a wide area network; entering the reformatted document files into a high speed printer; and printing documents from the document files, using the printer.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
40 words
A computer-aided method according to claim 17 in which the document files are compressed at the computer terminals and decompressed at the printing facility, and further comprising executing the audit files at the printing facility before decompressing the document files.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US5126858A
Cited
US5528742A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2001-08-10 | 2002-02-09 | 2002-08-11 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2005-08-10 | 2006-02-09 | 2006-08-11 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2009-08-10 | 2010-02-09 | 2010-08-11 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |