Abstract: This invention is directed to a system and method for optimized routing of print jobs. The system and method comprise queuing print job data, selectively communicating the print job data to at least one of a plurality of associated printer devices so as to generate a printout therefrom, and receiving status data from at least one of the plurality of associated printer devices, which status data includes data representative of a commitment level of the at least one associated printer device relative to dominant print job requests. The system and method also comprise testing the status data against selected test criteria to determine whether at least one alternative associated printer device is desired for printing and selectively redirecting the print job data from a primary designated associated printer device to a secondary associated printer device in accordance with an output of the test means.

Abstract: This invention is related to a document distribution system, and more particularly, the present invention relates to a document distribution system that reduces network traffic. The present invention is directed to a method and system for distributing a document to at least one destination, comprising the steps of providing a document to be distributed; creating a job by associating the document with at least one printer job language command, wherein the printer job language command provides instructions for the distribution of the job; and distributing, on the basis of the printer job language command, the job to at least one destination.

Abstract: This invention is directed to a system and method for storing print jobs. The system and method comprise acquiring print job data representative of a desired print job, which print job data is comprised of a PDL format associated with a selected printer device and selectively storing the print job data in a selected storage location or cabinet in a storage medium. The system and method further comprises acquiring print status information including data representative of a name associated with the print job data and data representative of a size of the print job data and selectively storing the print status information associatively with the print job data. The system and method also comprises selectively communicating the print job data to generate an image for display in an associated display device and selectively communicating the print job data to the selected printer device to obtain a printout thereof.

Abstract: This invention is directed to a system and method for the encryption of image data in a networked environment. More particularly, this invention is directed to a system and method for encrypting documents or data generated via an associated image generating device.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a system and method for halftone screening. A system for halftone screening includes a memory including a look-up table, the look-up table including screen frequency data representative of the selected screen frequencies for an associated visual output rendering device and tonal level data corresponding to the screen frequency data. The system further includes means adapted for receiving image data representative of a continuous tone image, segmenting means adapted for segmenting received image data into apportioned image data representative of a plurality of image portions, each image portion including a tonal value associated therewith, and means adapted for communicating data representative of each tonal value to the look-up table, whereby corresponding tonal level data is output therefrom.

Abstract: A system and method for selectively inserting a digital watermark into a visual rendering by an image processing device. The image processing device receives an image processing request including image data of an associated document. The request is then analyzed to determine if a watermark is to be inserted into a visual rendering of the associated document. When required, the selected watermark is then retrieved from associated memory containing a watermark repository, based upon the image processing request. The visual rendering of the associated document, incorporating the watermark, is then generated.

Abstract: This invention is directed to a system and method for storing font image data, which is already rendered, in a history-based order on the server side. This avoids the server side processing time to render the font every time a request is received. This allows users to use many server side fonts that users may not have on their client workstations. In the method, the user uses a web browser to choose a font type, size, and style from a list of available fonts installed on the server. The system then determines if the selected font exists in the font repository. If the font exists, the system retrieves the font images from the font repository. If the font does not exist, the system creates the font images and stores the font images to the font repository.

Abstract: An architecture for universal data communication between a network client and a web server. A web server receives a character string from the network client for storing. The web server encodes and then stores the string. Any character that is not a 7 bit ASCII character is encoded by encapsulating it with an escape code, the escape code comprised of an illegal character. Upon a request to retrieve the encoded string, the web server decodes and converts to UTF8 the encoded character string. When a client or browser requests the folder or document containing the encoded string, the string is properly displayed in the client's or browser's native language.

Abstract: A system and method for authenticating document processing transactions wherein the transaction is rejected if the user is not within a selected geographical region. A transaction request is first received representing a request for the completion of a selected transaction associated with a selected user. Preauthorized geographic region data, associated with the selected user, is then received indicating from where the associated user is allowed to request transactions. Location data representing the source of the transaction request is then received and tested against the preauthorized geographic region data. The result of this testing determines whether the requested transaction is authorized.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a method and apparatus for the job management of document processing wherein job management is divided into a pipeline assembly phase and a job processing phase. The job manager is heavily involved in the pipeline assembly phase. The job processing phase involves only the job processors, which were identified during the pipeline assembly phase. The processors signal the job manager when they start or finish processing of a job. The job manager controls resource consumption by controlling the amount of data in the pipes by parameterizing connector elements. For example, the job manager will preferably input data relating to stapling operations into the pipeline after data relating to collating operations is feed into the pipeline. The job manager assembles partial data or operations into the pipeline in the event that all resources needed are not available.

Abstract: An optical disc has a read-only system lead-in area and a recordable data area. Disc boundary information representing a boundary in a radial direction of an area on which capability of recording at a predetermined recording speed is guaranteed is recorded on the system lead-in area while being related to each tuple speed. An optical disc device, upon user's instruction of tuple-speed recording, compares the boundary information related to the instructed tuple speed with a present recording position, performs recording at the instructed tuple speed if the present recording position is on the outside of the boundary, and performs recording at a tuple speed lower than the instructed tuple speed if the present recording position is on the inside of the boundary.

Abstract: A system and method for accounting for document processing operations. Notification data is received from a networked document processing device, which indicates the presence on the network of the document processing device. Accounting data is then communicated to the networked document processing device in response to the notification data. The accounting data facilitates the administration of costs associated with the usage of the networked document processing device. Cost data is then received from the networked document processing device representing the accumulated costs associated with the usage of the document processing device. The cost data is accumulated according to the received accounting data by the networked document processing device.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a system and method for halftone screening. A system for halftone screening includes means adapted to receive image data having a desired number of tonal levels representative of a continuous tone image and means adapted to compress the received image data from a desired number of tonal levels to image data having a lesser number of tonal levels. The system further includes a memory including a look-up table, the look-up table including each of the lesser number of tonal levels and an array containing screen frequency data for each of the lesser number of tonal levels. The system still further includes means adapted for communicating the image data containing each of the lesser number of tonal levels to the look-up table, whereby corresponding screen frequency data is output therefrom.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a method and system for managing multiple format fonts in an image generating device. More particularly, the present invention is directed to a method and system to store a font in a selected storage area, remove a selected font stored in the selected storage area, and locate a selected font stored in a selected storage area.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a method and system for a printer driver to retrieve information from a printer mapped to a printer server. A printer driver residing on a client machine searches for all printers accessible by the client machine. A user is then prompted to select one of the printers discovered. The client machine then stores the printer IP address and the printer network path information in the registry. The actual port of the discovered printer is then ascertained using the information garnished from the printer server and the information stored in the client machine registry. The printer driver then communicates directly with the printer using the printer IP address and the network path. The system of the present invention utilizes two software components for searching and storing the printer IP address and the printer network path.

Abstract: A system utilizing a Bluetooth enabled smart card to authenticate a user and provide the user with access to a service. The Bluetooth smart card system is comprised of a server and a client. The server is the component that resides on the device that provides the service to the user. The server initializes the system to receive service requests. Once there is a request, the server establishes a communication channel and reads the user identification from the client. The server determines if it matches user identification from a database. If so, the server then determines if the requested service is supported and then performs the services. The server then determines if there is a need to charge for the service. The server would then get billing information from the card and adds the charge to the credit card of the user.

Abstract: A system and method for converting an image to a constrained color palette representation receives a specified color or hue from which an image is to be defined. A conversion is then made from an input color space to a CIELAB representation. Data is converted in CIELAB space, in accordance with a specified hue, to a color space set by the specified color. Once converted, data is converted to a color space corresponding to that of an associated document rendering device.

Abstract: This invention is directed to a system and method for variable copying or reproducing for a plurality of documents. More particularly, this invention is directed to a system and method for reproducing a large quantity of documents wherein certain selected information within the document varies, but the rest of the content is identical.

Abstract: This invention is directed to a document audit trail system and method for tracking and auditing document processing operations performed on and distribution of an electronic document. This invention allows information relating to the source of an electronic document, whether the document is an original, document processing operations performed on the document, distribution of the document, and other historical characteristics be extracted from indicia applied to the document.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a system and method for adding data encryption services to a document processing device. Encryption enablement software, which includes two alternate encryption mechanisms, is received by an associated document processing device. The device then awaits an associated user's selection of an electronic document file to be encrypted and subsequently encrypts the file using one of the available encryption mechanisms. The electronic document file is divided into blocks having a preselected length. An encryption key block containing first and second key portions, is then generated. The electronic data file is then encrypted using the first encryption key portion to form first level encryption data. The first level encryption data is then decrypted using the second encryption key portion to form second level encryption data. The second level encryption data is then encrypted using the first key portion to form a final encrypted electronic document file.