What is claimed is:
1. A method of printing an impositioned document, comprising the steps of:
receiving source data;
receiving a job ticket generated from the source data, the job ticket having a first identifier identifying a resource of the document and layout information describing a layout of the resource in the document;
generating an second identifier associated with the resource, the second identifier locally recognizable by a printing device;
storing the second identifier remotely from the printer;
storing the resource locally to the printer; and
printing the stored resource according to the layout information.
2. The method of claim 1,wherein:
the source data is received in a print optimizer and the second identifier is stored in the print optimizer;
the job ticket is generated by an impositioning module.
3. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of generating an second identifier associated with the resource comprises the steps of:
determining if the resource is a new resource;
generating the second identifier and associating the second identifier with the resource only if the resource is a new resource.
4. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of:
converting the resource to a printer-renderable form if the resource is not in the printer renderable form.
5. The method of claim 4, wherein the printer renderable form is compliant with a page description language.
6. The method of claim 1, wherein the resource is stored in a memory of the printer or in a memory of a print server communicatively coupled between the print optimizer and the print server.
7. The method of claim 1, wherein the resource is stored locally to the printer only if the resource is not already stored locally to the printer.
8. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:
receiving a job ticket having the first identifier and second layout information describing a second layout of the resource in the document
transforming the first identifier into the second identifier; and
printing the stored resource according to the second layout information.
9. The method of claim 1, wherein the impositioned document comprises variable data, and the method further comprising the steps of:
augmenting the job ticket with the variable data.
10. The method of claim 9, wherein the step of augmenting the job ticket with the variable data comprises the step of:
accepting source data having a variable data tag;
associating a first identifier with the variable data tags;
replacing variable data tags with variable data or a reference to the variable data; and
augmenting the job ticket with the variable data or the reference to the variable data.
11. An apparatus for printing an impositioned document, comprising:
means for receiving source data;
means for receiving a job ticket generated from the source data, the job ticket having a first identifier identifying a resource of the document and layout information describing a layout of the resource in the document;
means for generating an second identifier associated with the resource, the second identifier locally recognizable by a printing device;
means for storing the second identifier remotely from the printer;
means for storing the resource locally to the printer; and
means for printing the stored resource according to the layout information.
12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein:
the source data is received in a print optimizer and the second identifier is stored in the print optimizer;
the job ticket is generated by an impositioning module.
13. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the means for generating an second identifier associated with the resource comprises:
means for determining if the resource is a new resource;
means for generating the second identifier and associating the second identifier with the resource only if the resource is a new resource.
14. The apparatus of claim 11, further comprising:
means for converting the resource to a printer-renderable form if the resource is not in the printer renderable form.
15. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the printer renderable form is compliant with a page description language.
16. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the resource is stored in a memory of the printer or in a memory of a print server communicatively coupled between the print optimizer and the print server.
17. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the resource is stored locally to the printer only if the resource is not already stored locally to the printer.
18. The apparatus of claim 11, further comprising:
means for receiving a job ticket having the first identifier and second layout information describing a second layout of the resource in the document;
means for transforming the first identifier into the second identifier; and
means for printing the stored resource according to the second layout information.
19. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the impositioned document comprises variable data, and the apparatus further comprises means for augmenting the job ticket with the variable data.
20. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the means for augmenting the job ticket with the variable data comprises:
means for accepting source data having a variable data tag;
means for associating a first identifier with the variable data tags;
means for replacing variable data tags with variable data or a reference to the variable data; and
means for augmenting the job ticket with the variable data or the reference to the variable data.
21. A program storage device, readable by a computer, tangibly embodying at least one program of instructions executable by the computer to perform method steps of printing an impositioned document, the method steps comprising the steps of:
receiving source data;
receiving a job ticket generated from the source data, the job ticket having a first identifier identifying a resource of the document and layout information describing a layout of the resource in the document;
generating an second identifier associated with the resource, the second identifier locally recognizable by a printing device;
storing the second identifier remotely from the printer;
storing the resource locally to the printer; and
printing the stored resource according to the layout information.
22. The program storage device of claim 21, wherein:
the source data is received in a print optimizer and the second identifier is stored in the print optimizer;
the job ticket is generated by an impositioning module.
23. The program storage device of claim 21, wherein the method step of generating an second identifier associated with the resource comprises method steps of:
determining if the resource is a new resource;
generating the second identifier and associating the second identifier with the resource only if the resource is a new resource.
24. The program storage device of claim 21, wherein the method steps further comprise the step of:
converting the resource to a printer-renderable form if the resource is not in the printer renderable form.
25. The program storage device of claim 24, wherein the printer renderable form is compliant with a page description language.
26. The program storage device of claim 21, wherein the resource is stored in a memory of the printer or in a memory of a print server communicatively coupled between the print optimizer and the print server.
27. The program storage device of claim 21, wherein the resource is stored locally to the printer only if the resource is not already stored locally to the printer.
28. The program storage device of claim 21, wherein the method steps further comprise the steps of:
receiving a job ticket having the first identifier and second layout information describing a second layout of the resource in the document
transforming the first identifier into the second identifier; and
printing the stored resource according to the second layout information.
29. The program storage device of claim 21, wherein the impositioned document comprises variable data, and the method steps further comprise the steps of:
augmenting the job ticket with the variable data.
30. The program storage device of claim 9, wherein the method step of augmenting the job ticket with the variable data comprises the step of:
accepting source data having a variable data tag;
associating a first identifier with the variable data tags;
replacing variable data tags with variable data or a reference to the variable data; and
augmenting the job ticket with the variable data or the reference to the variable data.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. A thermal printer apparatus having a plurality of print stations for recording image information on a web of receiver moving along a path past a plurality of print stations having predetermined average raster line pitches, the apparatus comprising:
an adjustable-speed receiver drive mechanism adapted to advance the receiver along the path;
a sensor adapted to detect the temperature of the receiver along the path; and
a controller adapted to adjust the speed of the drive mechanism as a function of the detected temperature of the receiver so as to effect a shim of the average raster line pitch of the printer to compensate for changes in the temperature of the receiver.
2. A thermal printer apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein the sensor is a thermistor.
3. A thermal printer apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein the sensor is adapted to sense the temperature of the receiver at a position along the path beyond all of said plurality of print stations.
4. A thermal printer apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein:
the drive mechanism includes a roller; and
the sensor is adapted to sense the temperature of the receiver at a position along the path beyond all of said plurality of print stations and before the roller.
5. A thermal printer apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein the drive mechanism:
includes a stepper motor; and
increases the stepping rate of the stepper motor based as a function of the detected temperature of the receiver so as to provide an adjustment of the speed of the stepper motor for the purpose of effecting a shim of the average raster line pitch of the printer.
6. A thermal printer apparatus for recording image information on receiver moving past a plurality of print stations having predetermined average raster line pitches, the apparatus comprising:
a ribbon cassette assembly for storing a thermal ribbon having dye, the ribbon cassette assembly including a supply ribbon core, a take-up ribbon core, a supply ribbon support adapted to support the supply ribbon core, and a take-up ribbon support adapted to support the take-up ribbon core;
an elongated thermal print head positionable in engagement with the thermal ribbon for transferring dye from the thermal ribbon to the moving receiver, the print head having a plurality of recording elements arranged in a main scan recording direction that is perpendicular to an advancement direction of the moving receiver, the main scan recording direction also being the direction of elongation of the print head;
an adjustable-speed receiver drive mechanism adapted to advance the receiver along the path in said advancement direction;
a sensor adapted to detect the temperature of the receiver along the path; and
a controller adapted to adjust the speed of the drive mechanism as a function of the detected temperature of the receiver so as to effect a shim of the average raster line pitch of the printer to compensate for changes in the temperature of the receiver.
7. A thermal printer apparatus as set forth in claim 6, wherein the sensor is adapted to sense the temperature of the receiver at a position along the path beyond all of said plurality of print stations.
8. The printer apparatus of claim 6 wherein:
the printer apparatus is a multi-color printer apparatus; and
there are a plurality of said ribbon cassette assemblies and a respective plurality of said print heads each associated with a said ribbon cassette assembly and each of said print heads.
9. A method for recording image information on a receiver moving along a path past a plurality of print stations having predetermined average raster line pitches, said method including the steps of:
moving the receiver along the path past a plurality of print stations;
detecting the temperature of the receiver along the path; and
adjusting the speed of the receiver as a function of the detected temperature of the receiver so as to effect a shim of the average raster line pitch of the printer to compensate for changes in the temperature of the receiver.
10. A method as set forth in claim 9, wherein a thermistor is used to detect the temperature of the receiver.
11. A method as set forth in claim 9, wherein the temperature of the receiver is detected at a position along the path beyond all of said plurality of print stations.
12. A method as set forth in claim 9, wherein:
the moving step includes using a stepper motor; and
the adjusting step includes increasing the stepping rate of the stepper motor based as a function of the detected temperature of the receiver so as to provide an adjustment of the speed of the stepper motor for the purpose of effecting a shim of the average raster line pitch of the printer.
13. A method as set forth in claim 9, wherein an empirical model of receiver speed as a function of detected receiver temperature is used in software to predict receiver speed during printing.
14. A method for recording image information on a receiver moving along a path past a plurality of print stations having predetermined average raster line pitches, said method including the steps of:
moving the receiver along the path past a plurality of print stations;
producing an electrical signal having a value that is a function of the temperature of the receiver along the path; and
using the electrical signal to adjust the speed of the receiver so as to effect a shim of the average raster line pitch of the printer to compensate for changes in the temperature of the receiver.
15. A thermal printer apparatus having a plurality of print stations for recording image information on a web of receiver moving along a path past a plurality of print stations having predetermined average raster line pitches, the apparatus comprising:
an adjustable-speed receiver drive mechanism adapted to advance the receiver along the path;
multiple sensors adapted to detect the temperature of the receiver and surfaces along the path; and
a controller adapted to adjust the speed of the drive mechanism as a function of the detected temperatures so as to effect a shim of the average raster line pitch of the printer to compensate for changes in the temperatures.
16. A thermal printer apparatus as set forth in claim 15, wherein the sensors are thermistors.
17. A thermal printer apparatus as set forth in claim 15, wherein the sensors are adapted to sense the temperatures at positions along the path beyond all of said plurality of print stations.
18. A thermal printer apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein:
the drive mechanism includes a capstan drive roller;
one of the sensors is adapted to sense the temperature of the receiver at a position along the path beyond all of said plurality of print stations and before the capstan drive roller; and
another of the sensors is adapted to sense the temperature of a surface the capstan drive roller.
19. A thermal printer apparatus as set forth in claim 15, wherein the drive mechanism:
includes a stepper motor; and
increases the stepping rate of the stepper motor based as a function of the detected temperatures so as to provide an adjustment of the speed of the stepper motor for the purpose of effecting a shim of the average raster line pitch of the printer.
20. A thermal printer apparatus for recording image information on receiver moving past a plurality of print stations having predetermined average raster line pitches, the apparatus comprising:
a ribbon cassette assembly for storing a thermal ribbon having dye, the ribbon cassette assembly including a supply ribbon core, a take-up ribbon core, a supply ribbon support adapted to support the supply ribbon core, and a take-up ribbon support adapted to support the take-up ribbon core;
an elongated thermal print head positionable in engagement with the thermal ribbon for transferring dye from the thermal ribbon to the moving receiver, the print head having a plurality of recording elements arranged in a main scan recording direction that is perpendicular to an advancement direction of the moving receiver, the main scan recording direction also being the direction of elongation of the print head;
an adjustable-speed receiver drive mechanism adapted to advance the receiver along the path in said advancement direction;
a plurality of sensors adapted to detect the temperature of the receiver and surfaces along the path; and
a controller adapted to adjust the speed of the drive mechanism as a function of the detected temperatures so as to effect a shim of the average raster line pitch of the printer to compensate for changes in the temperature of the receiver.
21. A thermal printer apparatus as set forth in claim 20, wherein the sensors are adapted to sense the temperatures at positions along the path beyond all of said plurality of print stations.