Ratioing algorithm for a label printing system using plates
AssigneePaxar Corporation
InventorsPaul Kenneth Whittingham, Patrick Tony Kenny, Mandy Jane Smith
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A system and method of producing labels at remote locations worldwide in communication with a server and central database via the internet is shown and described. The present invention accommodates vastly different printing methods including thermal printing, lithographic printing, etc. For lithographic printing or other printing methods using plates, a ratioing algorithm is used to determine the optimum number of plates and label layout on each plate to minimize production costs.
Claims27
A method of determining a number of plates to be used to print a predetermined number of labels, each plate having a fixed number of label positions to allow the simultaneous printing of a plurality of labels with the same or different data comprising:
- determining a minimum number of plates to print the predetermined number of labels;
- determining a total number of times that each of the plates must be run to print the predetermined number of labels;
- and
- comparing the total run time number to a reference to determine whether to increase the number of plates.
A method of determining a number of plates to be used to print a predetermined number of labels, each plate having a fixed number of label positions to allow the simultaneous printing of a plurality of labels of the same or different type where labels of the same type have the same data printed thereon comprising:
- determining a minimum number of plates to print the predetermined number of labels based on the number of different label types to be printed;
- determining for each different label type a number of label positions on at least one plate to be used for printing the labels of that type;
- determining a total number of times that each of the plates must be run to print the predetermined number of labels;
- and
- comparing the total run time number to a reference to determine whether to increase the number of plates.
A method of determining a number of plates to be used to print a predetermined number of labels, each plate having a fixed number of label positions to allow the simultaneous printing of a plurality of labels of the same or different type where labels of the same type have the same data printed thereon comprising:
- receiving an order to print a plurality of labels including labels of different types, the order identifying a quantity to be printed for each different type of label;
- determining a minimum number of plates to print the predetermined number of labels based on the number of different label types to be printed;
- determining for each different label type a number of label positions on at least one plate to be used for printing the labels of that type;
- determining a total number of times that each of the plates must be run to print the predetermined number of labels;
- and
- comparing the total run time number to a reference to determine whether to increase the number of plates.
A method of determining a number of plates to be used to print a predetermined number of labels, each plate having a fixed number of label positions to allow the simultaneous printing of a plurality of labels of same or different types comprising:
- determining a minimum number of plates to print the predetermined number of labels;
- calculating a first value representing an estimated production cost based on the minimum number of plates;
- increasing the number of plates to be used to print the predetermined number of labels;
- calculating a second value representing an estimated production cost based on the increased number of plates;
- and
- comparing the first and second values to determine the number of plates to be used.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.