Method and system for classifying print product descriptions

A method of operating an automated system for a print shop, the method comprising

• providing a database having a system of classification in said automated system, said system of classification comprising a set of product classes in a print shop vocabulary of print products that can be created by the print shop, varied by specific production methods for producing the print products,
• receiving a product description of a print product,
• providing a facts collector in said automated system,
• loading data representing said product description into said facts collector, said facts collector collecting facts data concerning classifying said product description,
• providing classification rules in said automated system, consistent with the form of facts, for mapping said product description to a product class of a print product that can be created by said print shop,
• providing a rules-engine in said automated system for applying said classification rules to said collected facts,
• loading data representing said classification rules into said rules-engine,
• loading data representing said collected facts into said rules-engine, executing said rules-engine so as to apply said classification rules to said collected facts and thereby map said product description to at least one product class of a print product that can be created by said print shop in accordance with said classification rules,
• determining the product class(es) of a print product that can be created by said print shop to which said product description has been mapped,
• updating said classification rules and/or said system of classification in response to inconclusive or incorrect classifying of said product description under a classification and/or in response to multiple classifying of said product description under a plurality of classifications such that subsequently applying said updated classification rules and/or said updated system of classification to said collected facts successfully classifies said product description into the print shop vocabulary under a single classification of a print product that can be created by said print shop, wherein said product description comprises Job Definition Format (JDF) product nodes;
• and
• translating said JDF product nodes in said print shop vocabulary to a process network, said process network being a set of processing instructions that when executed in the order specified by the process network result in the print product.

A computer program product comprising:

• a computer-usable data carrier storing instructions that, when executed by a computer, cause the computer to perform a method for a print shop comprising:
• providing a system of classification comprising a set of classifications in a print shop vocabulary of print products that can be created by a print shop, varied by specific production methods for producing the print products,
• determining a product description of a print product,
• collecting facts concerning classifying said product description,
• providing classification rules, consistent with the form of facts, for classifying said product description under a classification of a print product that can be created by said print shop,
• applying said classification rules to said collected facts so as to classify said product description under at least one classification of a print product that can be created by said print shop in accordance with said classification rules,
• determining the classification(s) of a print product under which said product description has been classified,
• updating said classification rules and/or said system of classification in response to inconclusive or incorrect classifying of said product description under a classification and/or in response to multiple classifying of said product description under a plurality of classifications such that subsequently applying said updated classification rules and/or said updated system of classification to said collected facts successfully classifies said product description under a single classification of a print product that can be created by said print shop;
• and
• translating said print product description in said print shop vocabulary to a process network, said process network being a set of processing instructions that when executed in the order specified by the process network result in the print product.