Patent · US Expired

Method and apparatus for arranging a plurality of orders for printed articles

US7009723B1 · kind B1 · utility

31Cited by
17References
15Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateOct 27, 2000
Grant dateMar 7, 2006
Priority date
Expiry dateJun 14, 2023

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC B)Performing Operations; Transporting
  • CPC primaryB31D1/027
  • WIPO fieldTextile and paper machines
  • WIPO sectorMechanical engineering

Abstract

A method is provided for arranging a plurality of orders for printed articles in order to reduce wasted space when printing the orders in multiple column's. A plurality of orders for at least one printed article are obtained, and the orders are sorted according to the number of printed articles in each order to produce a sorted arrangement of the orders. For each successive order in the sorted arrangement of orders, the order is placed in a column which currently has a lowest number of total printed articles. In a preferred embodiment, the first K orders in the sorted arrangement of orders are placed in columns 1 to K, where K is the total number of columns. Also provided is a system for producing custom printed articles.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.