System for creating and producing custom card products

Abstract

A method of and apparatus for creating and vending printed card products such as greeting cards is disclosed, whereby a customer can select a card product for a desired application and customize or personalize certain portions of the selected card product. A terminal area or kiosk is provided at which the customer selects from a monitor screen display one of a number of different selection criterion for which he/she wants to obtain a card product. There may be multiple levels of selection criteria. Upon entry of the selection via, e.g., a transparent touch-sensitive plate on the monitor screen, one or more pre-stored groups of card product design formats pertaining to the selected selection criterion are determined, and the customer is prompted to select a particular card format to customize. The card product designs may include separate graphics, text and spaces for insertion of customized user messages, and these elements may be stored in a compressed format. Further inquiries via the monitor screen elicit custom messages to be reproduced at designated locations in the format of the chosen card product. The customized card product is then created by, e.g., a multi-color ink plotter that is fed with specially prepared sheets of card stock, and vended to the customer.

We claim: 
     
       1. A vending machine method for dispensing printed card products at a terminal area, including the steps of: creating card product designs in a digital format;   compressing said card product designs to provide designs in compressed format;   storing said designs in compressed format in memory at said terminal area;   selecting a desired one of said card product designs at said terminal area;   decompressing the design in compressed format to print the selected card product design at said terminal area.   
     
     
       2. A vending machine method for dispensing printed card products according to claim 1 wherein: compressing of said card product designs is achieved by conversion into a vector format, and   decompression is achieved by using a plotter to print the selected card product design using card product design in vendor format.   
     
     
       3. A vending machine method for dispensing printed card products according to claim 1 wherein said compression and decompression is achieved using a digital cosign transform (DCT). 
     
     
       4. A vending machine method for dispensing printed card products according to claim 1 wherein selection of a desired one of said product designs is achieved by selecting criteria for the desired product design and displaying a selected group of card product designs for final selection for printing. 
     
     
       5. A vending machine method for dispensing printed card products according to claim 4 wherein said display of a selected group of card product designs is achieved by decompressing card product designs and displaying the decompressed card product design on a video screen at the terminal area. 
     
     
       6. A vending machine method for dispensing printed card products according to claim 4 wherein, after final selection of a card product design, customized messages may be added to the selected design, said customized messages being displayed as an overlay to the selected card product design and being printed as an overlay on the printed card product. 
     
     
       7. A vending machine method for dispensing printed card products at a terminal area, including the steps of: creating card product designs including graphics, text, and blank spaces for insertion of customized messages;   storing said card product designs in memory at said terminal area together with selection criteria for each card product design;   selecting a desired one of said card product designs for display on a screen at said terminal area;   providing a screen overlay for the displayed card product indicating the types of customized messages that can be inserted in the blank spaces;   inserting customized messages at said terminal area and displaying said customized messages as an overlay on said card product design displayed on said screen; and   printing the selected card product design with said customized messages if satisfied with the card design displayed on said screen.   
     
     
       8. A vending machine method according to claim 7 wherein said printing is achieved by printing said card product design including graphics, text and blank spaces and printing of said customized messages in said blank spaces as an overlay. 
     
     
       9. A vending machine method according to claim 8 wherein said selection of a desired one of said product designs is achieved by first selecting a desired general application, then selecting specific uses appropriate for the selected general application, then displaying product designs corresponding to the selected general application and selected specific uses, and then selecting a specific product design from among the displayed product designs. 
     
     
       10. A vending machine method according to claim 7 wherein said card product designs are stored in memory in a compressed format for decompression when used to provide card product design displays or printed images. 
     
     
       11. A vending machine method for dispensing printed card products at a terminal area including the steps of: providing a plurality of stored card product designs together with at least one general application and specific uses for each card product design;   selecting a group of card product designs at said terminal area corresponding to a desired general application;   displaying specific use options corresponding to the selected general application;   selecting specific uses from the displayed specific use options;   displaying the card designs corresponding to the selected general application and the selected specific uses;   selecting a specific one of said displayed card formats;   adding custom messages to the selected card format to customize the card as desired; and   printing said selected card format with said custom messages when satisfied with the customized card selection.   
     
     
       12. A vending machine method according to claim 11, wherein said stored product designs are stored as compressed data. 
     
     
       13. A vending machine method according to claim 11, including providing a video monitor at said terminal area for presenting textual and graphic design screens relating to the creation and production of said selected card format with said custom messages, and allowing the customer to make desired responses and selections via a touch sensitive screen on the monitor. 
     
     
       14. A vending machine method according to claim 13, including reproducing voice text data associated with said textual and graphic design screens. 
     
     
       15. A vending machine method according to claim 13, including enabling the customer to customize said selected card format by displaying text characters on the touch sensitive screen of the monitor, and allowing a customer to enter a desired character string by touching selected ones of the text characters as displayed on the touch sensitive screen. 
     
     
       16. A vending machine method according to claim 13, including enabling the customer to customize said selected card format by displaying text characters on the touch sensitive screen of the monitor, and allowing a customer to enter a desired character string by touching selected ones of the text characters as displayed on the touch sensitive screen. 
     
     
       17. A vending machine method according to claim 11, including revising and updating said stored card product designs from a remote location via a communications link. 
     
     
       18. A vending machine method according to claim 11, including printing said selected card format with said custom messages on a recording medium with a multi-color ink plotter at the terminal. 
     
     
       19. A vending machine method according to claim 11, including printing said selected card format with said custom messages on one side of a flat sheet of card stock material, and folding the card stock material along pre-scored fold lines to produce a finished card product. 
     
     
       20. A vending machine method for dispensing printed card products at a terminal area including the steps of: providing a plurality of different card formats in a memory together with selection criteria;   providing multi level menu displays of said selection criteria so that the customer can select a group of said card formats;   successively displaying the card formats corresponding to said selected criteria for final selection of a card format;   eliciting further information from said customer for customizing said selected card format;   printing said customized card format on a plain paper card stock if desired by the customer; and   paying for said customized card only if printed.   
     
     
       21. Vending machine apparatus for dispensing printed cards at a terminal area comprising a memory for storing a plurality of different card formats together with selection criteria for each of said card formats;   a video screen at the terminal area visible by customers for displaying multi-level selection criteria menu displays and selected card formats;   a touch screen associated with said video screen to permit customer selection of criteria displayed on said video screen;   means for sorting said card formats stored in said memory and displaying on said video screen those card formats corresponding to selected criteria;   means coupled to said touch screen for selecting one of said displayed card formats;   means coupled to said touch screen for supplying customized messages appropriate for the selected card format; and   a printer for printing the selected card format with said customized messages.   
     
     
       22. A vending machine method according to claim 21, wherein said stored card formats are stored as compressed data. 
     
     
       23. A vending machine method according to claim 21, including revising and updating said stored card formats from a remote location via a communications link. 
     
     
       24. A vending machine method according to claim 21, including printing said selected card format with said customized messages on a recording medium with a multi-color ink plotter at the terminal. 
     
     
       25. A vending machine method according to claim 21, including printing said selected card format with said customized messages on one side of a flat sheet of card stock material, and folding the card stock material along pre-scored fold lines to produce a finished card product. 
     
     
       26. A vending machine method according to claim 21, including reproducing voice text data associated with a display on said video screen. 
     
     
       27. Vending machine apparatus for dispensing printed cards at a terminal area comprising; a memory for storing a plurality of different card formats together with selection criteria for each of said card formats;   a video screen at the terminal area visible by customers;   means for displaying a multi-level selection menu of said selection criteria on said video screen;   means available to the customer for making selections from said multi-level selection menu;   means for sorting said card formats in said memory according to selected criteria and for displaying those of said card formats corresponding to selected criteria on said video screen;   means for making a final card format selection from among those displayed on said video screen;   means for supplying customized messages to be added to the final card format selections;   means supplying plain paper stock prescored to provide a quadrant fold;   means for printing said customized card format on a single side of said plain paper stock so that, when folded, print appears both on an outside cover and on at least one inside page.   
     
     
       28. A vending machine for dispensing printed, customized card products, comprising: (a) a housing,   (b) a card delivery device at least partially disposed in the housing;   (c) a computer disposed in the housing, said computer having a card design file with a plurality of card designs stored therein, each card design having a plurality of social expression design parameters associated therewith;   (d) an input device and a display terminal, each coupled with said computer and each supported at least partially on said housing, said input device being accessible to a customer on the outside of said housing, and said display terminal being viewable by a customer on the outside of said housing;   (e) said input device being designed to enable a consumer to respond to a plurality of queries presented at the display terminal to input to the computer a plurality of input signals, each of which is associated with a social expression design parameter, for use in searching the card design file;   (f) said computer being adapted to (i) search the card design file in accordance with said plurality of input signals and retrieve a group of the card designs, each of whose plurality of social express design parameters is associated with said plurality of input signals, and (ii) sequentially display each of the group of card designs at said display terminal for final selection by a customer on the outside of said housing,   (g) said input device being further designed to input additional signals for defining customized material for addition to a selected card design; and   (h) a printing machine disposed in the housing, said printing machine having a paper storage device for storing a stack of paper products, a printing device responsive to a signal from said computer for printing on one of the stack of paper products a selected card design and the customized material defined for the card design and for directing the one of the stack of paper products from said printing device to said card delivery device.   
     
     
       29. A vending machine as defined in claim 28, wherein one of the stack of paper products is located at said printing device while a plurality of the input signals is being input to said computer, and wherein said printing machine includes a feed device for automatically feeding another one of the stack of paper products to said printing device after said one of said stack of paper products has been directed from said printing device to said card delivery device. 
     
     
       30. A machine for delivering a personalized product to a customer, said machine comprising: (a) storage means for storing base products;   (b) a delivery device;   (c) product handling means for effecting a series of operations and including: (i) transfer means for effecting transfer of a base product from said storage means;   (ii) electrically controllable modification means for effecting modification of said base products to produce modified base products; and   (iii) delivery means for effecting delivery of said modified base products to said delivery device;     (d) an enclosure containing said storage means, said delivery device, and said product handling means therewithin;   (e) selection means operable by a customer on the outside of said enclosure to effect entry of control data which defines the desired final form of the personalized product; and   (f) computer means within said enclosure and coupled to said selection means and to said transfer means, said electrically controllable modification means, and said delivery means of said product handling means, said computer means controlling said transfer means, said modification means, and said delivery means of said product handling means to perform a series of operations in accordance with said control data, said series of operations being performed within said enclosure without operator intervention and including modification of a base product transferred from said storage means to produce the desired final form of the personalized product, and delivery of the desired final form of the personalized product from said modification means to said delivery device,   (g) wherein said selection means includes display means arranged for display of the product formats available for selection and personalization by a customer.   
     
     
       31. A machine as defined in claim 30, wherein said selection means comprises electronically generated presentation means for presentation of the product formats available for selection and personalization by a customer. 
     
     
       32. A machine as defined in claim 30, wherein said base products include base products in the form of sheets of sheet material and wherein said modification means of said product handling means include printing means for printing personalized data on said base products. 
     
     
       33. A machine as defined in claim 32, wherein said printing means includes an automatic plotter. 
     
     
       34. A machine as defined in claim 30, wherein said storage means include means for storing a stack of base products in the form of sheets of sheet material and wherein said product handling means comprises means for engagement with a leading sheet of said stack to effect separation of the leading sheet from remaining sheets of said stack. 
     
     
       35. A machine as defined in claim 30, further including start means coupled to said computer means for initiating performance of said series of operations in accordance with said control data. 
     
     
       36. A machine as defined in claim 35, including payment means to effect payment for a product. 
     
     
       37. A machine as defined in claim 30, wherein said base products include sheets of greeting card stock, and wherein said modification means include means for applying indicia to a transferred sheet of greeting card stock to form a personalized greeting card. 
     
     
       38. A machine as defined in claim 37, wherein said modification means include means for applying message indicia of a selectable form to a transferred sheet of greeting card stock, and wherein said selection means include means for selecting the form of message indicia to be applied to a transferred sheet of greeting card stock. 
     
     
       39. A machine as defined in claim 38, wherein said selection means includes means for selecting characters from a complete alphabet for composition of the form of message indicia to be applied to a transferred sheet of greeting card stock. 
     
     
       40. A machine as defined in claim 39, wherein said display means include a touch screen and a complete alphabet display associated therewith for selection of the form of message indicia to be applied to a transferred sheet of greeting card stock. 
     
     
       41. A machine as defined in claim 37, wherein said base products include blank sheets of greeting card stock, and wherein said modification means include means for applying graphic indicia to a transferred sheet of greeting card stock in forming a personalized greeting card. 
     
     
       42. A machine as defined in claim 30, wherein said display means include a touch screen and an associated monitor for display and selection of said product formats available for selection and personalization by a customer and for display of operating instructions. 
     
     
       43. A machine as defined in claim 42, further including audio means for providing operating instructions and indications to a customer. 
     
     
       44. Apparatus for the on-site reproduction and vending of social expression cards in response to a plurality of input data set items provided by a customer, comprising: information storage and retrieval means for storing, referencing, and retrieving a plurality of social expression card designs, each of said social expression card designs being identified by a plurality of special occasion parameters;   querying means for querying the customer to select from among the plurality of input data set items, where all of said plurality of input data set items are special occasion parameters that identify types of social expression card designs;   display means for displaying those social expression card designs that have special occasion parameters that match those special occasion parameters selected by the customer;   reproducing means for reproducing social expression card designs in tangible form; and   control means connected to said information storage and retrieval means, querying means, display means, and reproducing means for controlling and coordinating the operation thereof.   
     
     
       45. Apparatus for the on-site reproduction and vending of social expression cards in response to a plurality of input data set items provided by a customer, comprising: information storage and retrieval means for storing, referencing, and retrieving a plurality of social expression card designs, each of said social expression card designs being uniquely identified by a plurality of special occasion parameters;   querying means for querying the customer to select from among the plurality of input data set items, where all of said plurality of input data set items are special occasion parameters that identify types of social expression card designs;   display means for displaying those social expression card designs that have special occasion parameters that match those special occasion parameters selected by the customer;   reproducing means for reproducing social expression card designs in tangible form; and   control means connected to said information storage and retrieval means, querying means, display means, and reproducing means for controlling and coordinating the operation thereof.   
     
     
       46. An apparatus as set forth in either of claims 44 or 45, wherein said control means is adapted to gather statistical and accounting data with respect to the operation of the apparatus. 
     
     
       47. The apparatus of either of claims 44 or 45, further comprising valuable media accepting means connected to said control means for accepting payment from the customer for reproduced social expression cards. 
     
     
       48. The apparatus of either of claims 44 or 45, wherein the querying means comprises input means connected to said control means for accepting input of the plurality of input data set items, and query display means for displaying queries for the plurality of input data set items. 
     
     
       49. The apparatus of claim 48, wherein the query display means and input means comprises respectively a video display and a touchscreen. 
     
     
       50. The apparatus of claim 48, wherein the query display means and the display means are combined. 
     
     
       51. The apparatus of either of claims 44 or 45, wherein the display means comprises video display for electronically displaying greeting card designs. 
     
     
       52. The apparatus of either of claims 44 or 45, wherein the reproducing means comprises a printer. 
     
     
       53. Apparatus for the on-site reproduction of social expression cards, said apparatus comprising: (a) information storage and retrieval means for storing, referencing, and retrieving a plurality of social expression card designs, each of said social expression card designs being retrievable by a customer's selection of a plurality of special occasion parameters that identify types of social expression card designs;   (b) query means for querying the customer to select from among the plurality of special occasion parameters;   (c) display means for displaying a subset of the plurality of social expression card designs in response to the customer's selection from among the plurality of special occasion parameters; and   (d) control means for controlling said information storage and retrieval means, said querying means, and said display means.   
     
     
       54. Apparatus for the on-site reproduction of social expression cards, said apparatus comprising: (a) information storage and retrieval means for storing, referencing, and retrieving a plurality of social expression card designs, each of said social expression card designs being retrievable by a customer's selection of a plurality of special occasion parameters that identify types of social expression card designs;   (b) query means for querying the customer to select from among the plurality of special occasion parameters;   (c) display means for displaying a subset of the plurality of social expression card designs in response to the customer's selection from among the plurality of special occasion parameters; and   (d) reproducing means for reproducing social expression card designs in tangible form; and   (e) control means for controlling said information storage and retrieval means, said querying means, said display means, and said reproducing means.   
     
     
       55. Apparatus for the on-site reproduction of social expression cards in response to a plurality of input data set items provided by a customer, comprising: (a) information storage and retrieval means for storing, referencing, and retrieving a plurality of social expression card designs, each of said social expression card designs being identified by a plurality of special occasion parameters;   (b) querying means for querying the customer to select from among the plurality of input data set items, where all of said plurality of input data set items are special occasion parameters that identify types of social expression card designs;   (c) display means for displaying those social expression card designs that have special occasion parameters that match those special occasion parameters selected by the customer; and   (d) control means connected to said information storage and retrieval means, querying means, and display means for controlling and coordinating the operation thereof.   
     
     
       56. Apparatus for the on-site reproduction of social expression cards in response to a plurality of input data set items provided by a customer, comprising: (a) information storage and retrieval means for storing, referencing, and retrieving a plurality of social expression card designs, each of said social expression card designs being identified by a plurality of special occasion parameters;   (b) querying means for querying the customer to select from among the plurality of input data set items, where all of said plurality of input data set items are special occasion parameters that identify types of social expression card designs;   (c) display means for displaying those social expression card designs that have special occasion parameters that match those special occasion parameters selected by the customer;   (d) reproducing means for reproducing social expression card designs in tangible form; and   (e) control means connected to said information storage and retrieval means, querying means, display means, and reproducing means for controlling and coordinating the operation thereof.   
     
     
       57. Apparatus for the on-site reproduction of social expression cards, said apparatus comprising: (a) querying means for querying a customer to select from among a first plurality of special occasion parameters that identify types of social expression card designs;   (b) information storage and retrieval means for storing, referencing, and retrieving a first plurality of social expression card designs, each of said social expression card designs being retrievable by the customer's selection of a second plurality of special occasion parameters that is a subset of said first plurality of special occasion parameters;   (c) display means for displaying a second plurality of social expression card designs that is a subset of a said first plurality of social expression card designs in response to the customer's selection from among said first plurality of special occasion parameters; and   (d) control means for controlling said information storage and retrieval means, said querying means, and said display means.   
     
     
       58. Apparatus for the on-site reproduction of social expression cards, said apparatus comprising: (a) querying means for querying a customer to select from among a first plurality of special occasion parameters that identify types of social expression card designs;   (b) information storage and retrieval means for storing, referencing, and retrieving a first plurality of social expression card designs, each of said social expression card designs being retrievable by the customer's selection of a second plurality of special occasion parameters that is a subset of said first plurality of special occasion parameters;   (c) display means for displaying a second plurality of social expression card designs that is a subset of the plurality of social expression card designs in response to the customer's selection from among said first plurality of special occasion parameters; and   (d) reproducing means for reproducing social expression card designs in tangible form; and   (e) control means for controlling said information storage and retrieval means, said querying means, said display means, and said reproducing means.   
     
     
       59. A method of the on-site manufacture and vending of social expression cards, comprising the steps of: inputting a plurality of social expression card designs into an information storage and retrieval system for storing, referencing, and retrieving the social expression card designs, where each of the social expression card designs comprises a front page and an inside page and each social expression card design is uniquely identified by a plurality of special occasion parameters, and where the special occasion parameters are used to group social expression card designs with like special occasion parameters into fields;   querying the customer for a plurality of input data set items, all of the plurality of input data set items being special occasion parameters to identify a field of social expression card designs;   searching the information storage and retrieval system for social expression card designs having special occasion parameters that match those input by the customer;   displaying those social expression card designs haviang special occasion parameters that match those input by the customer;   selecting a social expression card design to be reproduced; and   reproducing said selected social expression card design in tangible form.   
     
     
       60. A method of the on-site manufacture and vending of social expression cards, comprising the steps of: inputting a plurality of social expression card designs into an information storage and retrieval system for storing, referencing, and retrieving the social expression card designs, where each of the social expression card designs comprises a front page and an inside page and each social expression card design is identified by a plurality of special occasion parameters, and where the special occasion parameters are used to group social expression card designs with like special occasion parameters into fields;   querying the customer for a plurality of input data set items, all of the plurality of input data set items being special occasion parameters to identify a field of social expression card designs;   searching the information storage and retrieval system for social expression card designs having special occasion parameters that match those input by the customer;   displaying those social expression card designs having special occasion parameters that match those input by the customer;   selecting a social expression card design to be reproduced; and   reproducing said selected social expression card design in tangible form.   
     
     
       61. The method of either of claims 59 or 60, further including the step of gathering statistical and accounting data with respect to the manufacture and vending of social expression cards.