Digital printing system having optimized paper usage
AssigneeShutterfly, Inc.
InventorKenneth Ray Niblett, JR.
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method for manufacturing printed page products includes defining a plurality of subbatches each comprising one or more of the pages, creating layouts for the pages in the plurality of subbatches, separating the plurality of subbatches into N groups each comprising a total number of pages equal or less than M, minimizing the difference between the total pages in the N groups and M×N, and printing the layouts of the pages on a stack of sheets each configured to contain layouts for N pages. The layouts of the pages in the stack of sheets are positioned in N columns.
Claims42
A method for manufacturing printed page products, comprising:
- defining a plurality of subbatches each comprising one or more of the pages;
- creating layouts for the pages in the plurality of subbatches;
- separating the plurality of subbatches into N groups each comprising a total number of pages equal or less than M;
- minimizing the difference between the total pages in the N groups and M×N;
- and
- printing the layouts of the pages on a stack of sheets each configured to contain layouts for N pages, wherein the layouts of the pages in the stack of sheets are positioned in N columns.
A computer-readable storage medium storing a computer program comprising instructions to perform a method for manufacturing printed page products, wherein the method comprises:
- defining a plurality of subbatches each comprising one or more of the pages;
- creating layouts for the pages in the plurality of subbatches;
- separating the plurality of subbatches into N groups each comprising a total number of pages equal or less than M;
- minimizing the difference between the total pages in the N groups and M×N;
- and
- printing the layouts of the pages on a stack of sheets each configured to contain layouts for N pages, wherein the layouts of the pages in the stack of sheets are positioned in N columns.
A method for manufacturing printed page products, comprising:
- defining a plurality of subbatches each comprising one or more of the pages;
- creating layouts for the pages in the plurality of subbatches;
- separating the plurality of subbatches into N groups each comprising a total number of pages equal or less than M;
- successively assigning the plurality of subbatches into the N groups;
- determining an emptiest group, a second emptiest group, a fullest group, or a second fullest group in the N group, wherein the emptiest group includes the least number of pages in its associated subbatches, wherein the second emptiest group includes the second least number of pages in its associated subbatches, wherein the fullest group includes the most number of pages in its associated subbatches, wherein the second fullest group includes the second most number of pages in its associated subbatches;
- determining an unassigned subbatch in the plurality of subbatches, wherein the unassigned subbatch is not yet assigned to any of the N groups;
- assigning one of the unassigned subbatch into the emptiest group, the second emptiest group, the fullest group, or the second fullest group to minimize the difference between the total pages in the N groups and M×N;
- and
- printing the layouts of the pages on a stack of sheets each configured to contain layouts for N pages, wherein the layouts of the pages in the stack of sheets are positioned in N columns.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.