Job information communication system for a printing system

Abstract

A transmission job originating station for controlling transmission of job information, based on the processing of a print job in a printing system, is provided. The control system includes a document generating subsystem for providing at least a portion of the print job to be delivered to a print machine and a user interface for programming a set of information including one or more confirmation destinations with each confirmation destination being disposed remotely of the transmission job originating station. The transmission job originating station further includes a control subsystem which, in response to the processing of at least a portion of the print job at the printing machine, reads the set of information and determines each confirmation destination, programmed with the user interface, to which the job information is to be transmitted.

1. A method for printing a job at a printing machine located remotely from a transmission job originating station, the transmission job originating station including a control subsystem and a document generating subsystem having a user interface for inputting job control instructions for a print job described by a job ticket, the document generating subsystem providing the print job to be delivered to the printing machine for producing a set of prints from the print job, including a set of image data, in accordance with the job ticket, the job ticket including a set of job execution attributes, each job execution attribute being associated with a programmable set of information for defining the corresponding job execution attribute, a first one of the programmable sets of information instructing the printing system  transmission job originating station as to a manner in which the transmission job originating station is to generate job status information when at least a portion of the set of image data is processed in accordance with the job ticket, and a second one of the programmable sets of information listing one or more confirmation destinations with each confirmation destination being disposed remotely of the transmission job originating station and including an information receiving subsystem, comprising the steps of:
 with the user interface, programming the second set of information with the one of  or more confirmation destinations;  
 processing at least a portion of the image data at the printing machine in accordance with the job ticket; and  
 in response to said processing, reading the second set of job  programmable information, with the transmission job originating station, for determining each confirmation destination, programmed with said programming,  to which the job status information is to be transmitted; and  
 transmitting, with the printing machine transmission subsystem  transmission job originating station, the job status information to the information receiving subsystem.  
 
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1 , in which the information receiving subsystem includes an output subsystem and the job status information comprising a copy of  includes a job information page, further comprising the step of:
 producing a representation of at least a portion of the copy of  the job information page at the output subsystem of the information receiving subsystem.  
 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 1 , in which the printing machine transmission subsystem  transmission job originating station and the information receiving subsystem include first and second telecommunication subsystems respectively with each of said first and second telecommunication subsystems communicating with one another by way of a telecommunications link, further comprising the step of:
 transmitting the job status information from the first telecommunications subsystem to the second telecommunications subsystem.  
 
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the job status information is transmitted as a telephonic message to the second telecommunications subsystem. 
     
     
       5. The method of  claim 1 , in which the transmission job originating station includes a facsimile subsystem with a modem and the information receiving subsystem includes a facsimile subsystem with a modem, wherein said information transmitting includes transmitting a job information page from the facsimile subsystem of the transmission job originating station to the facsimile subsystem of the information receiving subsystem. 
     
     
       6. In a printing system including ( a )  a printing machine for producing a set of prints from a print job, including a set of image data, in accordance with a job ticket, the job ticket including a set of job execution attributes, each job execution attribute being associated with programmable sets of information for defining the corresponding job execution attribute, a first one of the programmable sets of information instructing the printing system as to a manner in which job status information is generated when at least a portion of the set of image data is processed in accordance with the job ticket, and  ( b )  a transmission job originating station for controlling transmission of the job status information to one or more confirmation destinations located remotely of the transmission job originating station, each confirmation destination including an information receiving subsystem, the transmission job originating station comprising:      a document generating subsystem, for providing at least a portion of the print job to be delivered to the printing machine;        a user interface, communicating with said document generating subsystem, for programming a second one of the programmable sets of information, the second programmable set of information including said one or more confirmation destinations;        a control subsystem which, in response to processing at least a portion of the image data at the printing machine, reads the second programmable set of information and determines each confirmation destination to which the job status information is to be transmitted; and        a transmission subsystem which transmits the job status information to said information receiving subsystem.     
     
     
       7. The printing system of  claim 6 , wherein said information receiving subsystem includes a subsystem for producing a representation of at least a portion of the job status information. 
     
     
       8. The printing system of  claim 6 , wherein said transmission subsystem and the information receiving subsystem include first and second telecommunication subsystems, respectively, each said first and second telecommunication subsystem communicating with one another by way of a telecommunications link, wherein the job status information is transmitted from the first telecommunication subsystem to the second telecommunication subsystem. 
     
     
       9. The printing system of  claim 8 , wherein the job status information is transmitted in the form of a telephonic message. 
     
     
       10. The printing system of  claim 6 , in which the transmission job originating station further includes a facsimile subsystem with a modem and said information receiving subsystem includes a facsimile subsystem with a modem, wherein the job status information is transmitted from the facsimile subsystem of the transmission job originating station to the facsimile subsystem of said information receiving subsystem. 
     
     
       11. A method for printing a job using a printing system including ( a )  a printing machine and  ( b )  a remotely located transmission job originating station, the transmission job originating station including a document generating subsystem having a user interface for inputting job control instructions for a print job described by a job ticket, the document generating subsystem providing the print job to be delivered to the printing machine for producing a set of prints from the print job, including a set of image data, in accordance with the job ticket, the job ticket including a set of job execution attributes, each job execution attribute being associated with a programmable set of information for defining the corresponding job execution attribute, a first one of the programmable sets of information instructing the printing system as to a manner in which the printing system is to generate job status information when at least a portion of the set of image data is processed in accordance with the job ticket, and a second one of the programmable sets of information listing one or more confirmation destinations with each confirmation destination being disposed remotely of the transmission job originating station and including an information receiving subsystem, comprising:      with the user interface, programming the second set of information with the one or more confirmation destinations;        processing at least a portion of the image data by the printing system in accordance with the job ticket;        in response to said processing, reading the second set of programmable information, with the transmission job originating station, for determining each confirmation destination to which the job status information is to be transmitted; and        transmitting, with the printing system, the job status information to the information receiving subsystem.     
     
     
       12. A method for printing a job at a printing machine located remotely from a transmission job originating station, the transmission job originating station including a control subsystem and a document generating subsystem having a user interface for inputting job control instructions for a print job described by a job ticket, the document generating subsystem providing the print job to be delivered to the printing machine for producing a set of prints from the print job, including a set of image data, in accordance with the job ticket, the job ticket including a set of job execution attributes, each job execution attribute being associated with a programmable set of information for defining the corresponding job execution attribute, the programmable set of information including one or more confirmation destinations with each confirmation destination being disposed remotely of the transmission job originating station, comprising:
   with the user interface, programming the set of information with the one or more confirmation destinations;        processing at least a portion of the image data at the printing machine in accordance with the job ticket; and        in response to said processing, reading the programmable information, with the transmission job originating station, for determining each confirmation destination to which the job status information is to be transmitted; and        transmitting, with the transmission job originating station, the job status information to the one or more confirmation destinations.     
     
     
       13. The method of  claim 12 , wherein the programmable set of information includes instructions which instruct the transmission job originating station to generate job status information when at least a portion of the print job is processed at the printing machine in accordance with the job ticket. 
     
     
       14. In a printing system including ( a )  a printing machine for producing a set of prints from a print job, including a set of image data, in accordance with a job ticket, the job ticket including a set of job execution attributes, each job execution attribute being associated with programmable set of information for defining the corresponding job execution attribute, and  ( b )  a transmission job originating station for controlling transmission of the job status information to one or more confirmation destinations located remotely of the transmission job originating station, the transmission job originating station comprising:      a document generating subsystem, for providing at least a portion of the print job to be delivered to the printing machine;        a user interface, communicating with said document generating subsystem, for programming the programmable set of information, the programmable set of information including said one or more confirmation destinations;        a control subsystem which, in response to processing at least a portion of the image data at the printing machine, reads the programmable set of information and determines each confirmation destination to which the job status information is to be transmitted; and        a transmission subsystem which transmits the job status information to said one or more confirmation destinations.     
     
     
       15. The printing system of  claim 14 , wherein the programmable set of information includes instructions which instruct the transmission job originating station to generate job status information when at least a portion of the print job is processed at the printing machine in accordance with the job ticket. 
     
     
       16. A method for printing a job using a printing system including ( a )  a printing machine and  ( b )  a remotely located transmission job originating station, the transmission job originating station including a document generating subsystem having a user interface for inputting job control instructions for a print job described by a job ticket, the document generating subsystem providing the print job to be delivered to the printing machine for producing a set of prints from the print job, including a set of image data, in accordance with the job ticket, the job ticket including a set of job execution attributes, each job execution attribute being associated with a programmable set of information for defining the corresponding job execution attribute, the programmable set of information including one or more confirmation destinations with each confirmation destination being disposed remotely of the transmission job originating station, comprising:      with the user interface, programming the programmable set of information with the one or more confirmation destinations;        processing at least a portion of the image data by the printing system in accordance with the job ticket;        in response to said processing, reading the programmable information, with the transmission job originating station, for determining each confirmation destination to which the job status information is to be transmitted; and        transmitting, with the printing system, the job status information to the one or more confirmation destinations.     
     
     
       17. The method of  claim 16 , wherein the programmable set of information includes instructions which instruct the transmission job originating station to generate job status information when at least a portion of the print job is processed at the printing machine in accordance with the job ticket.