Systems and methods for remotely viewing page layouts

Abstract

A system and methods for remotely viewing a dynamically generated page layout is described. The page layout can represent a reader ordering of pages defined as part of a print production job. Alternatively, the page layout can represent an arrangement of pages based on information defined as part of a print production job.

1 . A method for viewing a layout at a client location comprising:
 obtaining information about a front-side and back-side arrangement of page descriptions at a client location wherein the arrangements correspond to information to be printed on a front-side and back-side, respectively, of a single medium;   communicating a layout view request to a server location based on the information about the front-side and back-side arrangement of page descriptions;   generating at least one partial layout image at the server location based on the layout view request;   communicating the at least one partial layout image to the client location; and   displaying the at least one partial layout image at the client location.   
   
   
       2 . A method according to  claim 1  wherein communicating the layout view request comprises communicating:
 information about the front-side and back-side arrangement of page descriptions for a pair of layouts; and   information about a part of the pair of layouts to be viewed.   
   
   
       3 . A method according to  claim 2  wherein communicating the information about the part of the pair of layouts to be viewed comprises communicating:
 information about a part of one of the layouts to be viewed; and   information about whether to view the other layout.   
   
   
       4 . A method according to  claim 2  wherein generating the at least one partial layout image comprises:
 determining a front-side and back-side layout description based on the information about the front-side and back-side arrangement of page descriptions; and   rendering a part of at least one of the layout descriptions to form the at least one partial layout image wherein rendering is based on the information about the part of the pair of layouts to be viewed.   
   
   
       5 . A method according to  claim 4  wherein rendering the part of at least one of the layout descriptions to form the at least one partial layout image comprises:
 determining a front-side part of the front-side layout description and a back-side part of the back-side layout description based on the information about the part of the pair of layouts to be viewed wherein the front-side part and the back-side part, when rendered for display, occupy the same area of the display; and   rendering at least one of the front-side part or the back-side part to form the at least one partial layout image wherein rendering the back-side layout description comprises transforming the back-side layout image to be mirror-imaged and in correct spatial alignment with the front-side layout image such that simultaneous display of the front-side and back-side layout images simulates the appearance of printing on a transparent medium.