Workflow activities for suppression of documents inside of a print job

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9501254-B2
Application number	US-201514675481-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 31, 2015
Priority date	Mar 31, 2015
Publication date	Nov 22, 2016
Grant date	Nov 22, 2016

Abstract

Systems and methods are provided for utilizing a workflow activity to suppress individual documents of a print job prior to printing. One embodiment is a workflow server that includes an interface and controller. The interface receives a print job that defines documents which each indicate an intended recipient for delivery. The controller directs devices of a print shop by following a print workflow that comprises an ordered set of activities to perform upon the documents. The controller also detects that the print job has reached a scheduled activity of the workflow for pulling documents from the print job based on criteria, identifies documents of the print job that match the criteria indicated by the activity, and removes the identified documents from the print data for the print job before the print job is printed, preventing printing of the identified documents.

First claim

We claim:

1. An apparatus comprising:
a workflow server for a print shop, comprising:
an interface configured to receive a print job that defines documents which each indicate an intended recipient for delivery; and
a controller, implemented by a processor and memory, configured to direct devices of a print shop by following a print workflow that comprises an ordered set of activities to perform upon the documents,
wherein the controller is configured to detect that the print job has reached a scheduled activity of the workflow for pulling documents from the print job based on criteria in order to suppress the documents from printing, to identify documents of the print job that match the criteria indicated by the activity, and to remove the identified documents from print data for the print job before the print job is printed, thereby excising the identified documents from the print job to prevent the identified documents from printing at the print shop.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein:
the workflow comprises multiple activities that direct the server to pull documents, each of the multiple activities is associated with different criteria, and
the controller is configured to pull documents from the print job at each of the multiple activities, based on criteria associated with that activity.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein:
the workflow comprises an activity that is located after printing and directs the server to pull documents from the print job based on additional criteria, and
the controller is configured to direct post-printing machinery to pull printed documents from the print job, based on the additional criteria.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein:
the controller is configured to generate Page Description Language (PDL) print data for print jobs, and
the controller is configured to remove the identified documents from the print data by generating PDL print data for the print job that does not include the identified documents.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein:
the print job includes Page Description Language (PDL) print data, and
the controller is configured to remove the identified documents from the print data by identifying PDL print data within the print job that defines the identified documents, and extracting the identified PDL print data from the print job.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein:
the workflow includes multiple branches that each define a separate set of activities, and
the controller is configured to route the removed documents to a different branch of the workflow than the print job, wherein the different branch of the workflow does not include an activity for printing.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein:
the controller is further operable to create a new workflow, to place the activity into the workflow, to determine whether the activity is located in the workflow before or after printing, to configure the activity with instructions for an inserter to divert the identified documents if the activity is placed after printing, and to configure the activity with instructions for removing print data for the identified documents from the print job if the activity is placed before printing.

8. A method comprising:
receiving a print job that defines documents which each indicate an intended recipient for delivery;
directing devices of a print shop by following a print workflow that comprises an ordered set of activities to perform upon the documents;
detecting that the print job has reached a scheduled activity of the workflow for pulling documents from the print job based on criteria in order to suppress the documents from printing;
identifying documents of the print job that match the criteria indicated by the activity; and
removing the identified documents from the print job before the print job is printed, thereby excising the identified documents from the print job to prevent the identified documents from printing at the print shop.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein:
the workflow comprises multiple activities that direct the server to pull documents, each of the multiple activities is associated with different criteria, and
the method further comprises pulling documents from the print job at each of the multiple activities, based on criteria associated with that activity.

10. The method of claim 8 wherein:
the workflow comprises an activity that is located after printing and directs the server to pull documents from the print job based on additional criteria, and
the method further comprises directing post-printing machinery to pull printed documents from the print job, based on the additional criteria.

11. The method of claim 8 further comprising:
removing the identified documents from the print job by generating Page Description Language (PDL) print data for the print job that does not include the identified documents.

12. The method of claim 8 further comprising:
removing the identified documents by identifying Page Description Language (PDL) print data within the print job that defines the identified document, and extracting the identified PDL print data from the print job.

13. The method of claim 8 wherein:
the workflow includes multiple branches that each define a separate set of activities, and
the method further comprises routing the removed documents to a different branch of the workflow than the print job, wherein the different branch of the workflow does not include an activity for printing.

14. The method of claim 8 further comprising:
creating a new workflow;
placing the activity into the workflow;
determining whether the activity is located in the workflow before or after printing;
configuring the activity with instructions for an inserter to divert the identified documents if the activity is placed after printing; and
configuring the activity with instructions for removing print data for the identified documents from the print job if the activity is placed before printing.

15. A non-transitory computer readable medium embodying programmed instructions which, when executed by a processor, are operable for performing a method comprising:
receiving a print job that defines documents which each indicate an intended recipient for delivery;
directing devices of a print shop by following a print workflow that comprises an ordered set of activities to perform upon the documents;
detecting that the print job has reached a scheduled activity of the workflow for pulling documents from the print job based on criteria in order to suppress the documents from printing;
identifying documents of the print job that match the criteria indicated by the activity; and
removing the identified documents from the print job before the print job is printed, thereby excising the identified documents from the print job to prevent the identified documents from printing at the print shop.

16. The medium of claim 15 wherein:
the workflow comprises multiple activities that direct the server to pull documents, each of the multiple activities is associated with different criteria, and
the method further comprises pulling documents from the print job at each of the multiple activities, based on criteria associated with that activity.

17. The medium of claim 15 wherein:
the workflow comprises an activity that is located after printing and directs the server to pull documents from the print job based on additional criteria, and
the method further comprises directing post-printing machinery to pull printed documents from the print job, based on the additional criteria.

Assignees

• Liebelt Linda Sue
• Lotz Michael Glen
• Manning Kyle P
• Waller Marquis G
• Ricoh Co Ltd

Inventors

• Liebelt Linda Sue
• Lotz Michael Glen
• Manning Kyle P
• Waller Marquis G

Classifications

• G06F3/1211

  Improving printing performance · CPC title

• G06F3/1264

  by assigning post-processing resources · CPC title

• G06F3/1265

  Printing by reference, e.g. retrieving document/image data for a job from a source mentioned in the job · CPC title

• G06F3/1263 Primary

  based on job priority, e.g. re-arranging the order of jobs, e.g. the printing sequence · CPC title

• G06Q10/06

  Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling · CPC title