Virtual enclosure bins in printing architectures

A printing architecture for inserting enclosures with documents, the printing architecture comprising:

• a print job processing system adapted to receive a document print job that includes a plurality of documents, wherein a document of the document print job includes enclosure data referencing at least one enclosure;
• the print job processing system further adapted to process the enclosure data in the document to identify at least one enclosure image from an image library that corresponds with the at least one enclosure referenced in the enclosure data in the document, and to generate an enclosure print job that includes the at least one enclosure image;
• a first printer adapted to print the document print job to generate the document;
• a second printer adapted to print the at least one enclosure image to generate at least one printed enclosure;
• and
• an inserter adapted to control a primary feeder mechanism to feed the printed document from the first printer to the inserter, and to process the enclosure data on the printed document to identify the at least one printed enclosure referenced in the enclosure data;
• the inserter further adapted to control a secondary feeder mechanism to feed the at least one printed enclosure from the second printer to the inserter based on the enclosure data;
• the inserter further adapted to insert the at least one printed enclosure in a mail piece with the printed document.

A method of inserting enclosures with documents in a printing architecture, the method comprising:

• receiving a document print job from an application;
• processing the document print job to identify a document in the document print job;
• processing enclosure data in the document to identify at least one enclosure bin referenced in the enclosure data;
• identifying whether the at least one enclosure bin comprises a virtual enclosure bin;
• identifying at least one enclosure image related to the virtual enclosure bin if the at least one enclosure bin comprises the virtual enclosure bin;
• printing the at least one enclosure image to generate at least one print-on-demand (POD) enclosure;
• amending the enclosure data in the document of the document print job to reference the at least one POD enclosure;
• printing the document print job to generate the document;
• processing the amended enclosure data on the printed document to identify the at least one POD enclosure referenced in the amended enclosure data;
• and
• inserting the at least one POD enclosure in a mail piece with the printed document.

A printing architecture for inserting enclosures with documents, the printing architecture comprising:

• a print job processing system adapted to receive a document print job from an application, to process the document print job to identify a document in the document print job, and to process enclosure data in the document to identify at least one enclosure bin referenced in the enclosure data;
• the print job processing system further adapted to identify whether the at least one enclosure bin comprises a virtual enclosure bin, and to identify at least one enclosure image related to the virtual enclosure bin from an image library if the at least one enclosure bin comprises the virtual enclosure bin;
• the print job processing system further adapted to amend the enclosure data in the document of the document print job to reference at least one print-on-demand (POD) enclosure;
• a first printer adapted to print the document print job to generate the document;
• a second printer adapted to print the at least one enclosure image to generate the at least one POD enclosure;
• a primary feeder mechanism adapted to receive the printed document from the first printer;
• a secondary feeder mechanism adapted to receive the at least one POD enclosure from the second printer;
• and
• an inserter adapted to control the primary feeder mechanism to feed the printed document from the first printer to the inserter, and to process the amended enclosure data on the printed document to identify the at least one POD enclosure referenced in the amended enclosure data;
• the inserter further adapted to control the secondary feeder mechanism to feed the at least one POD enclosure from the second printer to the inserter based on the amended enclosure data;
• the inserter further adapted to insert the at least one POD enclosure in a mail piece with the printed document.

A method of processing a document print job, the method comprising:

• receiving the document print job that includes a document;
• identifying at least one enclosure image that corresponds with the document;
• and
• generating an enclosure print job that includes the at least one enclosure image, wherein the enclosure print job is adapted to be printed to generate at least one printed enclosure that corresponds with the document.