Abstract:
A system and method for gathering CRM information in a variable imaging application utilize keywords which are associated with each image of a number of digital images. A variable imaging job stream is generated containing one or more of the digital images. Keyword metadata may also be inserted into the variable imaging job stream, and the variable imaging job stream is received by a VI production system. The variable imaging job stream is processed by the VI production system, thereby identifying the keywords previously associated with the contained images, and also extracting the inserted keyword metadata. A CRM output is generated containing the identified keywords and the extracted keyword metadata.

Description:
BACKGROUND 
       [0001]    Customer relationship management (CRM) is used by organizations to manage their relationships with customers, including collecting, storing and analyzing customer information. Customer relationship management can be as simple as knowing a customer&#39;s address, however, most CRM systems go beyond that, containing information related to the customer such as, for example, information related to interests, hobbies, income, number of family members, etc. To obtain this information is one reason that many manufacturers and sellers provide questions on registration forms asking for such information. However, this type of data gathering can also be performed in a production system for putting information into a CRM database. For example, when a person utilizes the Internet to view and/or purchase products online, the person may be presented with a number of choices, and the person&#39;s selections are delivered to a system for generating an output based on the selections and sending the corresponding material to the purchaser. 
         [0002]    In some cases, the web ordering front end is in a position to capture information about the selections and feed it directly into a CRM information gathering system. For example, a selected book might be sports related, e.g., or the topic might be related to golfing, and this information can be stored in the CRM database. This data can then be farmed for delivering targeted advertising via mail, e-mail, etc. Large companies within internet presence such as, e.g., Amazon.com have systems which perform the CRM gathering service. However, CRM gathering systems typically require a large up-front investment for a tailor made CRM system which performs the required information gathering. In many cases, the web ordering system may not be a core part of the business, or may not be a large business, and such a large investment may not be justified. Still, many smaller businesses would benefit from an online presence and would further benefit from being able to capture data related to online purchases such as, e.g., words or terms related to the purchased products. Therefore, there exists a need for an inexpensive and easily implemented method of gathering information related to the purchased products for entering into a separate stand-alone CRM system or for other processing such as, e.g., manual review. 
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION 
       [0003]    A method is provided for gathering CRM information in a variable imaging application. Keywords are associated with each image of a number of digital images, and a VI job stream is generated containing one or more of the digital images. The VI job stream is received and processed by a VI production system. The processing includes identifying the keywords previously associated with each digital image contained in the VI job stream, and generating a CRM output containing the identified keywords. 
         [0004]    A second method is also provided for gathering CRM information in a variable imaging application. Keywords are associated with each image of a number of digital images, and a VI job stream is generated containing one or more of the digital images. Keyword metadata is also inserted into the VI job stream, and the VI job stream is received by a VI production system. The VI job stream is processed by the VI production system, thereby identifying the keywords previously associated with the contained images, and also extracting the inserted keyword metadata. A CRM output is generated containing the identified keywords and the extracted keyword metadata. 
         [0005]    A VI interpreter system, operating in a VI production system, is also provided. The VI interpreter system includes a CRM processor configured to perform CRM information gathering as follows. For each digital image contained in the VI job stream, keywords previously associated with the contained image are identified, and a CRM output is generated which contains the identified keywords. A raster image processor is configured to produce electronic output document images based on variable imaging jobs included in the received VI job stream. A user interface is provided for receiving instructions from an operator of the VI interpreter and for displaying messages and images to the operator, and a finishing system is configured to produce a final product based on the electronic output document images. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0006]      FIG. 1  depicts an exemplary packing list for illustrating concepts of the present application; 
           [0007]      FIG. 2  is a diagram in block form illustrating a variable imaging environment suitable incorporating concepts of the present application for information gathering; 
           [0008]      FIG. 3  is a flow chart of a variable imaging and information gathering method according to concepts of the present application; and 
           [0009]      FIG. 4  is a block diagram showing an embodiment of a system incorporating concepts of the present application. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0010]    Variable information printing (VI printing) is a form of printing in which elements such as text, graphics and images may be changed from one printed piece to the next within a print job, using information previously obtained or currently obtained from a database. For example, a marketing company can prepare a set of personalized letters, each having the same basic layout, but each printed with a different name and address on each letter. Variable information printing is often used for direct marketing, customer relationship management and advertising. Variable information printing also comes into play for companies that have a web ordering presence such as, e.g., Amazon.com and other online retailers. 
         [0011]    For example, with reference to  FIG. 1 , a sporting equipment supply company may have a web presence whereby customers can order online directly from the company. When an order is shipped, the company may prepare and print a packing list related to the order for inclusion in the delivered package.  FIG. 1  depicts an exemplary packing list  10  which is shown for illustrating concepts of the present application. The packing list  10  can be printed by an in-house VI printing department, however, information related to the packing list can also be provided to an external VI print provider. Hereinafter, the term “VI production environment” is used in reference to either of an external VI print provider or an in-house VI printing department providing a similar service. Information provided to the VI production environment includes, e.g., a company name and description  12 , customer number and order number information  14 , customer shipping address  16 , and ordered items descriptions  18 . Also included with the information provided to the VI production environment, is a graphical logo  20  used by the sporting equipment company. 
         [0012]    In the packing list  10  shown in the figure, the company has advantageously included additional marketing information  22  related to items ordered as shown in the item list  18 . For example, among the items ordered are a dozen golf balls  24 . Taking advantage of the fact that the customer has an apparent interest in golfing, the company has included among the special offers  22 , information related to golf shoes  26 , polo shirts  28 , golf clubs  30 , and the golf gloves  32 . As shown in the Figure, images  34 - 40  for the respective items  26 - 32  have been included in the packing list  10 . 
         [0013]    According to concepts of the present application, the various content of the VI print job, such as imagery  34 - 40 , while the job is being processed by the VI production environment, can be tracked and, prior to executing the print run for producing the final output, the imagery  34 - 40  can be tracked and analyzed, and terms can be associated with each of the imagery items. To facilitate the analysis, the images can be reviewed in advance to associate keywords with each image. For example, if the image includes golf equipment or a golfing scene or wording to such effect, it can be associated with sports, golfing, outdoors, etc. These keywords can then be mapped to each image and stored for later use. While the VI print job is being processed, keywords associated with the included images can be collected and later returned to the person or organization which submitted the VI print job to the VI production environment. The keywords can be kept in separate files or databases, or can be included in the image header information as known in the art such as in, e.g., jpeg image header sections. The person or organization creating the image can input the keywords or the keywords can be added or inserted at a later time by a person or automated software analyzing the images. Alternatively, the person or organization providing the images to the production environment, or the customer providing the VI print job request, can provide the keywords. Alternatively again, the VI production environment can determine keywords for the images on the production system as a service to the customer. 
         [0014]    It is to be appreciated, that the example shown in the Figure is for exemplary purposes only, and the concepts of the present application can be applied to any form of VI printing as previously described or known in the art. 
         [0015]    With reference to  FIG. 2 , a flow diagram is provided in block form for illustrating concepts of the present application. Typically, in a design stage  42 , variable information document layouts are designed, and templates  44  are produced representing the designed documents. Additionally, digital assets  46  are created such as, e.g., photos and graphics which are preferably maintained in a digital asset database  48  for further use. Data records  50 , as preferably provided in a database  52 , containing detailed information pertaining to each variable information document can be merged, based on the templates  44 , with the digital assets  46 , providing a merged content  54  in a variable information job stream. The VI job stream usually represents a single job having variable documents to print. However, the stream of output from the VI print job may include output to multiple recipients, i.e., a section for each recipient. Further, it is to be understood that, although the various embodiments described herein are described with reference to a print provider providing hardcopy printed product, various other forms of output product such as, e.g., electronic output also fall within the scope of the present application. 
         [0016]    The merged content  54  is normally a structured data stream that has elements that allow the production environment to understand that there are multiple sections and where each section starts and ends. Various languages, such as PPML, and VIPP, and others known in the art, will describe this to the production environment. Although these elements can be ignored, the elements are there and can be utilized by the production environment. Thus, the added data elements do not necessarily impact a product environment that does not use or understand the data. The merged content  54  is, however, structured to know recipient boundaries, and it can also provide additional information about each recipient set, e.g., order number, name, keywords, etc. 
         [0017]    Keywords are of particular significance in the present application, and it is preferable to associate certain keywords to a recipient, or even with finer granularity, e.g., to a particular order for a recipient. For example, when associating keywords to particular orders, in place of recipient  1 , keywords  1 , recipient  2 , keywords  2 , etc., it could be recipient  1 , order  1 , keywords  1 , recipient  2 , order  2 , keywords  2 , etc. It is to be understood that the data used can be used beyond concepts of customer relationship management, e.g., variable information print jobs can be analyzed for reacting to trends, etc. The present application is not limited with respect to how keywords are associated with the merged content or images within the content. For example, keywords associated with an image can be supplied via a manual process, embedded within the image headers included in the merged content, or included in a separate keyword database linked to the included images. It should also be noted that the VI production environment can choose to manage CRM keywords associated to an image by embedding the CRM keywords in the image file regardless of how the CRM keywords for an image are supplied to the production environment. 
         [0018]    The merged content  54  is processed by the production environment during which a raster image processing (RIP)  56  is performed to produce electronic output document images, the results of the RIP processing  56  are reviewed  58 , and finishing operations  60  are performed on the output document images, providing the end product. Additionally, according to concepts of the present application, the production environment can analyze the images provided in the merged content  54  ( 62 ), and based on the analysis of the image, and associated keywords in a keyword database  64 , extract keyword data  66 . Further, images in the merged content  54 , and other data, can contain keywords provided in the merged content  54  which may be extracted and included in the keyword data  66 . The keyword data  66  can be provided to the customer providing the merged content  54  in the form of a CRM file or database  68  or a printed CRM report  70 . 
         [0019]    With reference to  FIG. 3 , a flow diagram is provided for describing aspects of the present application. As previously described, variable information jobs are designed ( 80 ), and digital photos are added to and/or retrieved from digital assets ( 82 ). In one embodiment of the present application, keywords are associated to the digital assets as a separate database or embedded in the digital images ( 84 ). A Variable information job may be sent to a VI production provider in a VI job delivery step ( 86 ) as a collection of data records, design templates, digital assets, and an optional digital assets keyword database. Keywords may also be optionally provided to the VI production provider separately from the VI job delivery ( 88 ). The VI production provider now performs, as necessary or desired, initial or preparatory processing to prepare the VI production environment with the digital asset keywords ( 90 ). The production provider may also analyze the variable information images and/or associate keywords with the VI images as part of the preparatory processing ( 92 ). The VI production provider processes the variable information job ( 94 ), thereby generating a printed output in either hardcopy or digital form as known in the art ( 95 ) and may further review the output and perform any requested finishing operations on the output as also known in the art ( 96 ). However, in addition to the steps of generating a printed output, a CRM file and/or CRM report are generated from the extracted keywords ( 97 ), and the CRM file and/or report are then delivered to the VI job originator or customer ( 98 ). 
         [0020]    With reference now to  FIG. 4  and continuing reference to  FIG. 2 , a block diagram is provided showing an exemplary system incorporating concepts of the present application, wherein like numerals are used to represent like items. In this exemplary system, a customer system  100  provides a VI container  102  containing the previously described merged content  54  for processing by a VI production environment  104 . The customer system  100  includes a VI design system  106  configured to incorporate features of the previously described VI design stage  42 . The VI design system  106  utilizes previously designed templates  44  or creates new templates for inclusion with the templates  44  which are preferably stored in a templates database  108 . Based on the templates  44 , the customer system  100  maintains the digital assets  44  stored in the digital assets database  46  for merging with the data records  50  stored in the data records database  52  to create the merged data content  54  in the VI container  102  as shown in the Figure. 
         [0021]    The VI production environment  104  includes a VI interpreter  110  which itself includes a CRM processor  112  which utilizes the previously described keyword database  64  and/or keywords embedded in the received images, or included as metadata in the variable information job, in conjunction with the incoming VI container  102  for producing the CRM file  68  and/or the CRM report  70 . The VI interpreter  110  also includes a raster image processor  116 , a user interface  118 , and a finishing system  120 . The raster image processor  116  and the finishing system  120  are configured to perform methods as previously described with reference to the raster image processing  56  and the finishing operations  60  respectively. It is to be understood that each of the systems  116 - 120  can be included or housed internally as components of the VI interpreter  110  or can be separate systems in operative communication with the VI interpreter  110 . The user interface  118  is utilized for interacting with the VI interpreter  110  and also for reviewing VI output before finishing. The VI interpreter  110  also produces the finished VI reports  122  as previously discussed and as known in the art. 
         [0022]    It will be appreciated that various of the above-disclosed and other features and functions, or alternatives thereof, may be desirably combined into many other different systems or applications. Also that various presently unforeseen or unanticipated alternatives, modifications, variations or improvements therein may be subsequently made by those skilled in the art which are also intended to be encompassed by the following claims.