Patent Abstract:
A computer-aided system and method for capturing an accurate representation of multiple documents in a computer memory, and for managing a document capture workflow. The method includes enabling a user to view an electronic document image tree representing the documents. The method for managing document capture workflow includes obtaining job information, capturing the documents and processing the document capture job.

Full Description:
RELATED APPLICATION  
       [0001]    This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Serial No. 60/390,863, entitled “Interactive Document Capture and Processing Software,” filed Jun. 21, 2002. 
     
    
     
       FIELD OF INVENTION  
         [0002]    The present invention relates to software for organizing and processing the scanning and/or copying of a large volume of documents.  
         BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0003]    For many years, businesses such as commercial copy shops have copied large volumes of documents. In a typical scenario in the photocopy industry, the life of a copy project starts by the client calling the copy vendor to have an order picked up. Job instructions are written down at the client&#39;s office on a preprinted order form. The client then requests that copy shop make one (or multiple) set of copies of the documents in the identical format (i.e., with identical separators) and order as the original. For example, pages stapled together in the original should be stapled together in the copies.  
           [0004]    Once the project is brought into the production facility, the copy center manager will assign a number to the order and, depending on the size of the order, he will break the order up into manageable copy sections. He will then identify every section by writing a label known as the Production Tracking Sheet using the job name, job #, box #, and section number. The machine operator will receive the section to copy and a Production Tracking Sheet to log productivity and billing numbers. The copy shop operator then assigns its employee(s) the task of copying the documents in the boxes. The employees remove each physical page break (e.g., staple, clip, etc.), use standard copy machines to make copies of the documents and then assemble the copied documents in the same format and order as the originals.  
           [0005]    Photocopy centers generally perform a quality control check on copies produced. Usually, a separate employee will manually compare the copied and original documents to minimize errors. They will page check each copy against the original by flipping one page at a time and viewing both the fronts and backs. If a user needs to go directly to a folder towards the middle or end of a box, they can simply grab the file from the stack of originals and then grab the corresponding file from the stack of copies.  
           [0006]    Thereafter, labels with sequential numbers are applied to the copied pages. During the manual page numbering process, the photocopy facilities print a numeric sequence of numbers on rolls of small label stickers, 1 ½″×¾″, then a production employee applies the label stickers using a machine which automatically advances the rows of labels as they are pulled from the sheet. Labels are applied, one at a time, to the documents, normally in the header or footer region. This process obviously is very labor intensive. One standard box of 3,000 documents can take roughly two hours to label. Additional copy sets are optionally made using the numbered copied documents.  
           [0007]    After the project is copied and verified for quality control it is reassembled and then invoiced. Finally, the original and copied boxes are reassembled and delivered to the client. Most of the tasks during the project lifecycle are either fractionally automated or handled manually, and thus the current state of technology requires a labor intensive approach for these services.  
           [0008]    Accounting procedures for order management, billing, collections, time clock management and order processing are all manual or fragmented automated procedures. Job orders are entered manually into a book of orders, written on a job board, sectioned off manually, processed and then the meter readings are tallied up. Some facilities use generic spreadsheets or equivalent software to calculate invoices.  
           [0009]    Traditional scanning software requires bar coded sheets to log type and placement of page breaks. This means that the user must place a particular bar coded sheet before each document break (i.e., paper clip). This approach has difficulty capturing multiple levels of document breaks. Bar coded sheets that identify the beginning of a document require document “preparation” and is a labor intensive task. Bar code users pay to first produce the sheets and then they pay the software provider when the sheets are scanned. A need exists for an efficient method for managing the document capture workflow using a single computer application. It would be cost effective to manage the job information, division of jobs between employees, and other functions in a single computer application.  
           [0010]    A need exists for an easy and accurate system and method for obtaining important information about documents in a computer memory. Information including the document image and the order and location of the various document separators would be very helpful in efficiently making copies of documents. It is not unusual for a client to request multiple copy sets at different times. Without such information stored in a convenient format in a computer, the entire copying process needs to be repeated each time (including removing all the physical page breaks).  
           [0011]    Finally, a need also exists for a method to view an electronic version of multiple documents using a computer interface. This will reduce manual hours needed and increase efficiency in both quality control and arranging for multiple sets of copies of the same job.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0012]    The present invention comprises an efficient method for managing the document capture workflow using a single computer application.  
           [0013]    The present invention is primarily designed for photocopy centers which are comprised of vendors that operate 24 hours per day, seven days per week, although the features of the present invention may be utilized by anyone. Photocopy centers may include in-house copy centers, off-site copy centers and retail copy services.  
           [0014]    The present invention is intended to automate and integrate the stages of the photocopy production process. The invention provides an efficient means of entering customer orders into the system, capture document images, print additional sets on demand, reconstruct all physical page breaks in the additional copy sets without having the originals or a hard copy to guide the machine operators through the process, create billing summaries and provide a signed invoice search and retrieval application. The application will also provide detailed and accurate reporting for production productivity, customer usage and employee time cards.  
           [0015]    In one aspect, the present invention includes a system for obtaining information about documents in a computer memory using a touch-screen monitor. The touch-screen monitor includes easy to use buttons that can capture document images, various information about physical page break separators and other important document information.  
           [0016]    Finally, in a further aspect, the present invention enables a user to view an electronic version of multiple documents using a computer interface in the form of a document image tree. The document tree includes the important information about multiple pages and documents, as well as contains an image of the pages.  
           [0017]    For purposes of the present invention, the phrase “physical page break” (PPB) shall mean anything that connects or otherwise affiliates multiple pages that belong or are intended to be together in the original documents. PPB includes items such as a paperclip, rubber band, binder clip, file folder, book binding, file pocket, index tab, staple and other logical document breaks known to those skilled in the art. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0018]    FIGS.  1 - 8  show flow diagrams for the present invention.  
         [0019]    FIGS.  9 - 16  show touch-screen displays for a preferred embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0020]    [0020]FIG. 17 shows a touch-screen display for an alternative embodiment of the present invention. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       [0021]    The present invention consists of interactive document capture and processing software (IDCP)  1000 , and is comprised of three software application components. The software is directed to any user and may be particularly useful and desirable for photocopy users and implementation into any xerographic duplicating center. The three components are a document capture component  10 , a quality control component  1004 , and a workflow management component  1006 . It is understood that the software may be implemented in hardware or any computer readable medium.  
         [0022]    FIGS.  1 - 8  show the general logic of computer capturing and processing software. I-CAP is flexible enough to accommodate the PPB cues through three mediums; touch-screen monitor, voice recognition, or by inserting page break sheets. Turning first to FIG. 1, a user logs into the system at node  12 . This may include an employee number, name or other identifying information. Next, at node  14 , the user loads the job process, as described in more detail below and illustrated in FIG. 2.  
         [0023]    The capture process is next. The user starts at a particular page in the original documents, and continues forward page by page. At each page, the user decides at node  18  if any PPB&#39;s are present. If a PPB is present, the user proceeds to page break process node  16  which is described in more detail below and illustrated in FIG. 3. If no PPB is present after node  16  has been performed, the user performs scan process  20 . Scan process  20  is also described in further detail below and illustrated in FIG. 2. The user then checks if the PPB pages are finished at node  24 . By this, applicant is referring to a set of pages within a particular PPB. If a PPB was present and the pages associated with that PPB have all been scanned, the PPB is physically replaced on the original document at node  22  and the user selects the PPB end button at node  25 . Thereafter, the user continues copying more documents at node  26  and repeats the process. When the user is done, at node  30  the user enters whether the entire job is complete. The job may either be parked if the job is not done (at node  32 ) or ended at node  28 . The user thereafter may work on a totally separate job at node  34  in which the entire job process is repeated. Finally, the user logs out at node  36  and ends work at node  38 .  
         [0024]    Turning now to FIG. 2, the load job process node  14  and scan process node  20  are illustrated with additional detail. When loading a new job, at node  40 , a user is able to select from the various jobs and work assigned to him or her. The user selects which job to work on at node  40  and confirms it at node  42 , ending the load job process at node  44 . Scan process node  20  is how the pages are scanned into computer memory. It is understood that electronic images or copies of the documents may be obtained by other methods as well, such as uploading through the internet, electronic files on a CD, etc. First, a document is placed on the scanner at node  46 . The scanner start button is pressed at  48  and pages are scanned at node  50 . Pages are then removed from the scanner at node  52  and the user continues scanning pages at  54  until end  56 . In scan process  20 , multiple pages are scanned, provided there are no PPB&#39;s between the pages.  
         [0025]    [0025]FIG. 14 illustrates another screen capture  260  from the present invention. Screen  260  permits the manager to view important information about a job. For example, all presently active jobs are displayed by number and client name at area  262 . Tab bar  274  summarizes all of the functions the manager can perform. When a user selects a particular job at area  262 , the associated job information is displayed at area  264 . Information on the boxes is displayed and may be edited at area  266 . Boxes may be added, deleted or CDs may be imported at area  268 . The progress on the job is summarized in area  270  with the ability to modify that at area  272 .  
         [0026]    [0026]FIG. 17 illustrates screen capture  284  which is an alternative embodiment of the present invention. Job information  286  is displayed with further detail. Box and job status information  288  is also provided in an easy to read format on a single screen.  
         [0027]    [0027]FIG. 3 illustrates page breaks node  16 . First, the user removes the physical page break (i.e., the staple) from the original document at node  58 . At node  60 , the user selects which type of physical page break was removed. This is preferably done through a touch-screen computer monitor; however, it is understood that this can be accomplished by voice recognition or even use of a computer keyboard. The main physical page breaks are redweld  62 , binding  64 , binder clip  66 , staple  68 , other  70 , logical break  71 , folder  72 , rubber band  74 , paper clip  76  and index tab  78 . If a user selects either redweld  62  or folder  72 , folder size selection node  80  is utilized. This is illustrated in FIG. 4 and described below. Index tab  78  utilizes index tab selection  84  which is also illustrated in FIG. 4. Binder  64  and other  70  utilizes book binding selection  82  and other selection  86 , respectively, which are illustrated in FIG. 5 and also described below. The page break data is then saved at node  88 . The system remembers which PPB&#39;s are open by adding a corresponding end page break button in the open document stack at node  90 . At node  92 , the user enters whether there are multiple levels of PPB&#39;s. By this, applicant refers to a document which contains more than one PPB&#39;s. For example, six pages may be paper clipped together, the first three of the six pages stapled to themselves and the second three of six pages stapled to themselves. The present invention is able to accurately keep track of all PPB&#39;s information, even intertwined PPB&#39;s. Finally, page breaks node  16  ends at node  94 .  
         [0028]    [0028]FIG. 4 illustrates both index tabs selection  84  and folder size selection  80 . Index tabs selection  84  allows the user to select the type of index tab at node  96 . This includes various types including for example a number  98 , alphabetical character  100  or customized text  102 . The tab information is entered, preferably on the touch-screen monitor at node  104  and the relevant information is stored and saved in computer memory (or otherwise) at node  106 . Finally, index tabs selection  84  ends at node  108 .  
         [0029]    Folder size selection  80  permits the user to select the folder size, usually either eleven inches or fourteen inches at node  110 . This information is saved at node  112 . The user optionally may input text (numbers, alphabetical characters, or entirely customized text) which is searchable at nodes  114  and  116 . This information is saved at node  118 , the PPB information saved at node  120  and the selection ends at end  122 .  
         [0030]    [0030]FIG. 5 illustrates book binding selection  82  and other selection  86 . Book binding selection  82  permits the user to select the type of binding at node  124 . The type of binding includes, for example, spiral bound  126 , velo-bound  128 , two hole drill binding  130  and three hole drill binding  132 . The spiral bound and velo-bound type may be done at either the top or the side at node  134 . The PPB and related data are stored at  136  and this selection ends at  138 . Finally, other selection  86  includes entering data (customized) at node  140 , saving PPB and relevant information at  142  and ending at  144 .  
         [0031]    [0031]FIG. 6 illustrates the method for processing jobs after capture, known as orders out  300 . A user selects a job, preferably from the rail on the left side of the screen at node  302 . The user selects from the various preprocess  304  options such as performing optical character recognition on the documents (nodes  306  and  308 ) and numbering the pages on the documents (nodes  310 ,  312  and  314 ). Numbering the pages, otherwise known as endorsing, is described in more detail below and illustrated in FIG. 7. Once the preprocessing items, if any, have been selected, the processing is started at nodes  316  and  318 . Loadfiles may be created and edited if desired at nodes  320 ,  322 ,  324 ,  326  and  328 . The edit loadfiles process is described below and shown in FIG. 7. The user may optionally burn the data on a CD at nodes  330  and  332  (see also FIG. 7) or export the data to a network or anywhere else at nodes  334  and  336  (see also FIG. 8). For space or other reasons, the data, especially the images, may be deleted from the server at nodes  338  and  340  (see also FIG. 8). Finally, the billing for the processed job may be reviewed at node  342  and billable copies may be selected at node  344 . When a user is finished processing at node  346 , orders out  300  ends at node  348 .  
         [0032]    [0032]FIG. 7 illustrates the endorse options process  350 , edit loadfiles process  370  and burn CD process  382 . For the endorse options process  350 , a user may select a prefix that should appear on the documents before the numbering at nodes  352  and  354 . Typically, these are several letters which identify the source of the documents. The user can select the first number at which to start numbering at nodes  356  and  358 . Optionally, a user can select a suffix (nodes  360  and  362 ) and/or a second line of text (nodes  364  and  366 ) to be endorsed on the documents. For the edit loadfiles process  370 , the user selects which loadfile to edit (nodes  372  and  374 ), edits the loadfiles and then exits. For the burn CD process  382 , the user selects the burn option  384 , selects which data to burn at node  386 , selects the loadfiles at node  388 , inserts a CD at node  390  and starts the process.  
         [0033]    [0033]FIG. 8 illustrates the export process  398  and delete images process  412 . Export process  398  involves selecting the export option (node  400 ), selecting which data to burn (node  402 ), selecting the loadfiles (node  404 ), specifying a target directory (node  406 ) which can be on the same computer, another networked computer or any other directory or storage device. Delete images process  412  permits deletions of images (node  422 ). To prevent inadvertent deletions, the preferred embodiment requires two separate confirmations (nodes  414 ,  416 ,  418  and  420 ) before deletions.  
         [0034]    One aspect of the present invention is called I-CAP  102 , an interactive document scanning software application that features a touch-screen monitor and open document stacking (OD Stack) technology. OD Stack technology means that the software, by means of a data structure for storing items which are to be accessed in last-in first-out order, keeps track of PPBs. The software also keeps track of each PPB&#39;s parent, siblings and children. For example, take a job including a folder containing (i) eight pages stapled together; (ii) three pages paper clipped together; and (iii) a subfolder with 5 pages stapled within it. First, folder is pushed to the OS Stack. Then, staple is push onto the OS Stack, now containing both folder and staple. Then, the staple is popped from the OS Stack, leaving the folder alone on the OS Stack. Then the paper clip is pushed onto the stack, now containing both folder and paper clip. Then the paper clip is popped from the OS Stack, leaving the folder alone again. Thereafter, the subfolder is pushed onto the OS Stack (containing now folder and subfolder), and then the staple is pushed onto the OS Stack (containing now the folder, subfolder and staple). Finally, the staple, then subfolder, then folder and popped from the OS Stack, leaving the stack empty. The software maintains a record of each PPB, who the PPBs&#39; parents and children are (from the OS Stack), who the PPBs&#39; siblings are (historic from OS Stack) and how the pages are organized.  
         [0035]    As illustrated in FIGS. 9 and 10, the interactive software displays a menu of buttons on a touch-screen monitor at the copying or scanning station. Job information such as job number, company name, box number, etc. are displayed in area  172 . Start button  186  initiates the scanning of a page of a document. Single sided button  158  and double sided button  160  are used to provide information as to the original document to be scanned to communicate with the scanner. The present invention maintains and affiliates the single/double sided information with the scanned pages for use in creating the copy. Scanner setting button  192  allows a user to make changes to the scanner such as brightness, contrast and backside drop. The size of the page to be scanned can be set as 8 ½″×11″ (button  152 ), 8 ½″×14″ (button  154 ) or 11″×17″ (button  156 ). Alternatively, the scanner can be set to landscape or portrait. The image may be rotated (landscape/portrait) by 180 degrees (or any other number of degrees) at button  162 , which typically used if the originals are of poor quality on one portion of the page.  
         [0036]    During the scanning copying process, physical page breaks (PPB) are removed from the paper in order to place those documents in the machines. When a PPB is removed, the user will touch the corresponding PPB button from the menu of buttons to identify the beginning of a document. For example, a user may touch staple button  166 , paper clip button  168 , binder clip button  170 , rubber band button  174 , folder button  176 , binding button  178 , tabs button  180 , redweld button  184 , the logical break button  188  or the miscellaneous/other PPB button  182 . An icon of the PPB is also displayed within the button for ease of use. Every PPB is considered a document level and each open level is displayed on rail  198  as a stack of “End Document” buttons down the left side of the application screen (OD Stack). Once the last page of a document is scanned, the user will touch the corresponding end button from the OD Stack to identify the end of the document. There is no limit to the number of page breaks opened at one time. For example: a file folder with four levels of subdocuments would be logged, for example, by touching the file folder button  176 , then the rubber band button  174 , the binder clip button  170 , the paper clip button  168  and then the staple button  166 . At the end of the stapled document, the user will touch the end staple button  200 . If there is another stapled group, the user will touch the staple button  166  from the menu of PPB&#39;s to identify a new staple group. The user can also hit the park/end button  196  to cease work on a job at any time. The preferred embodiment of the present invention includes start/staple button  164  which performs the functions of all of staple button  166 , start button  186  and end staple button in a single button. It is understood that, similar to the start/staple button  164 , any PPB can be combined with the scan button into a single button. All other PPB&#39;s will remain open until the user finishes scanning the last page of each PPB level. Open PPB&#39;s (the OS Stack) are displayed on rail  198 , which is illustrated as vertical on the left side of the computer monitor. For example, in FIG. 10, the document being scanned currently has an open rubber band  202 , manila folder  204  and redweld  206 . Undo button  190  can be used to undo the last button touched by the operator. It should be understood that instead of a touch-screen monitor, voice recognition software or devices, keyboard, mice, foot pedals, headsets or other devices may be used to register the PPB&#39;s.  
         [0037]    This process of capturing PPB&#39;s will create a hierarchy of document levels and can be viewed using the history button  194  or in the QC application. The hierarchy of documents built during the scanning and/or copying process is referred to as the Document Image Tree (DIT) and is displayed as illustrated in FIG. 11. If a box contains three expandable file folders, the application will show an expandable folder icon for each one. When a user wants to view the contents of the folder they can touch the folder icon and the sublevels of documents will be displayed. By touching any particular page, the image of the page appears on the monitor. The history of a document is updated simultaneously with the input of the page image and the PPB information.  
         [0038]    [0038]FIG. 11 illustrates a screen capture from the electronic-document tree in the history view  208 . The different PPBs are displayed with icons, and the number of pages within each PPB are listed. The “+” symbol  212  indicates that all sub PPBs and pages are closed (and thus not displayed) within the tree. This is useful to permit more information to be visible on a single screen. The “−” symbol  210  indicates that the PPB is open and sub PPBs/pages are displayed. When touching or otherwise indicating a specific page on the electronic document tree, image  218  of the associated page is displayed. It should be understood that image  218  may be displayed as the complete image of the document, a zoomed partial image or a cutoff image. Button  214  permits an image to be rotated, if for example, it was copied in the wrong orientation. Button  216  permits conversion from duplex to simplex. Button  215  deletes a page or PPB and button  213  permits insertion of additional pages or PPBs.  
         [0039]    I-CAP&#39;s primary function is to identify and store the location of each and every PPB, by the touch of a button, while converting paper documents into digital images. This approach is facilitated by use of a touch-screen monitor. In the preferred embodiment, I-CAP is comprised of finger-sized electronic buttons which display icons of corresponding page breaks. When a machine operator removes a paperclip from a document, they touch the button with the paperclip icon. The application will then display an open paperclip button in the Open Document Stack (OD Stack).  
         [0040]    OD Stack Technology was created to give machine operators a view of open PPB levels and to provide a simplified method to identify the end of a document. Bar coded sheets are not practical for identifying the end of documents. There are two methods for bar coded sheets to mark the end of documents; by inserting additional bar coded sheets or by assuming the next begin document bar coded sheet is the end of the previous document. End users of the images will not have to have any detail on the origins or levels of documents unless they incur additional document preparation charges. With the OD Stack Technology, users can view every open level of document and by touching a button they can simply and easily end a document by the touch of a button. The OD Stack Technology does not require additional labor, additional fees to either vendors or end users, and does not limit the number of document levels that can be captured.  
         [0041]    The combination of a touch-screen monitor and OD Stack technology provide easy to use and operate software. In the preferred embodiment, this application does not use a keyboard or a mouse for any function or task, although it is understood that such device may be utilized if desired. The user interface displays buttons with icons of commonly used PPB&#39;s.  
         [0042]    Another aspect of the present invention is called I-QC  1004 , a supporting application to the I-CAP software. The process is based on surfing through the hierarchy of images with a touch-screen monitor or voice recognition commands. The user will check every image against the originals for industry quality standards. The DIT is used to go directly to any particular document or page, move documents in the hierarchy, delete documents, or insert new documents all by the touch of an electronic button on the monitor. The application will let the user surf from page to page or from document to document while viewing the desired image at the same time.  
         [0043]    [0043]FIGS. 12 and 13 illustrate a screen capture from the electronic document tree in the QC view  220 . FIG. 12 is the document-level screen capture and FIG. 13 is the page-level screen capture. Electronic tree  240  is similar to that described above in FIG. 11. Buttons  224  allow a user to quickly move along electronic document tree  240 . Using buttons  220  and  228 , a user can insert images and documents, respectively, that may have been missed in the initial copying. Using buttons  230  and  232 , a user can change any document or delete any document respectively. The index to any PPB can be changed at button  234  and pages may be split at button  236 . Splitting a page allows a user to separate pages that were fed into the scanner together. The application also displays the image  222  of the page currently being viewed, which image may be of the entire document or a portion thereof. In document view at FIG. 13, electronic tree is replaced with the particular document being viewed. Rail  256  (similar to rail  198 ) indicate the PPB&#39;s in that particular document, although in the preferred embodiment, the PPBs cannot be changed in the page-level QC view. The user can refresh data at button  242  to reflect changes being made. The user may scroll through the images of the pages with button  246 , delete an image with button  248 , replace an image with a different image at button  250  and rotate an image with button  252 . Button  244  ends a QC session. Button  254  allows a user to zoom in on the image of a page so as to more easily view details from that page.  
         [0044]    IQC is designed to correspond with the I-CAP application by utilizing a touch-screen monitor, in one embodiment. Multiple layers of document organization typically found in paper files are recreated electronically. Users can search, sort, retrieve and view files in the same manner as opening a box of paper documents.  
         [0045]    The graphical icons display boxes, redwelds (expandable, red rope accordion folders), manila folders, book binding and documents grouped by rubber-bands, binder clips, paperclips, or staples. As illustrated in FIGS.  11 - 13 , the DIT gives users an electronic view of a box of documents similar to physically opening a box of paper documents. They may either surf through by the smallest document level or they may go directly to a box, folder, document or page by simply touching the desired icons in the overhead view. The DIT may utilize graphics familiar to those that handle voluminous amounts of paper files. Like I-CAP, there is no need for a keyboard or mouse to operate this application.  
         [0046]    Since traditional imaging software typically captures only the smallest document level, users do not get the organizational benefit that hard files or the IDCP offer. Users have to hunt for the first page of the file they are looking for. The present invention gives users the ability to go directly to the desired folder. They do not need to surf through the pages at the document level.  
         [0047]    [0047]FIG. 15 illustrates yet another screen capture  276  of the present invention relating to the process of orders out  300 . The user selects a job at area  262 . Tab bar  274  lists the various processing options available to the user for all jobs. Area  278  illustrates that the job may be preprocessed, built into loadfiles, edited as loadfiles, burned or exported. Area  280  shows the various options under preprocessing.  
         [0048]    IPA is the print application which also implements, in the preferred embodiment, a touch-screen monitor. Photocopy operational systems have relied on having the stack of documents being copied present in order to recreate PPB&#39;s in the copy sets. Copy machines, at most, can only generate staples and no other PPB&#39;s. Traditional scanning software, using bar coded sheets, could capture PPB information but reassembling documents require printing projects and along the way printing the bar coded sheets to signify where PPB&#39;s should be inserted. This method requires a person to sit and look for bar coded sheets after the document stack has been printed out.  
         [0049]    Additionally, a complete set of documents may be assembled anywhere in the world. By use of the internet, a disk or other medium containing the information from the scanned job, a user can print and assemble a set of documents. This is possible regardless of whether the original documents or another physical copy of the documents are present where the new set is desired.  
         [0050]    A third aspect of the present invention is called ILM 1006, the Interactive Live Information Management System. This is a management console that every copy/scanning project uses to be introduced into the software. This application will manage all the projects deadlines, assign copy sections, track progress, track productivity and display live updates of metrics for time clock, productivity, revenue, and labor expense. The management console will also store, search and retrieve signed invoices for collection personnel and electronically maintain the industries machine service log for the management personnel.  
         [0051]    An aspect of workflow management  1008  is an image printing application that will queue the machine operator when a PPB needs to be inserted into the printed documents. The present invention sends print jobs to a digital copier by the lowest level page break (staples or loose pages). When a PPB needs to be inserted the software application stops the copy machine and will alert the user to insert the corresponding page break. The user will insert the appropriate page break and then press a continue button to print the next batch of page breaks. At the end of the print job, the operator will have a copy set of documents that are assembled with physical page breaks exactly like the originals.  
         [0052]    Alternatively, IPA can accurately queue the machine operator to insert every level of PPB. The photocopy machine will print the copy sets and automatically insert staples. Every additional level of PPB will momentarily stop the machine and then display a message of which PPB to insert and where it begins and ends. Additionally, IPA will display project instructions on the application interface.  
         [0053]    ILM combines order management, productivity reporting, employee time clock management and document post production processing which are directly linked to the machines that are generating revenues. ILM attempts to automate every reporting, labeling, data entry, and tracking task. When picking up orders, vendors can have handheld devices to take instructions. Upon arrival at the copy facility, job instructions may be electronically beamed into the order management system. Various information about the job such as client name, delivery address, due dates and times, number of boxes, estimated number of copies and other special handling instructions are entered into the software. Managers could then electronically section off jobs and automatically print section identification sheet instead of writing them. Since order processed on digital scanners, no production tracking sheets need to be printed or filled out. Data for copy orders is captured automatically and invoices can be generated without manual calculations or accessing a separate computer applications. After orders are delivered and invoices are signed, vendors may access signed invoices during collection efforts.  
         [0054]    Generating reports from data that is continually collected from the scanning and copy machines will provide up to the minute productivity reporting and client usage reports. Implementing employee time clock will complete all the metrics needed to calculate reports on every measurable indicator of business performance such as employee productivity, revenue generated and rate of income, and labor percentage with respect to revenue generated. FIG. 16 illustrates an example of report  282  of the present invention.  
         [0055]    While the invention has been described with respect to certain preferred embodiments, as will be appreciated by those skilled in the art, it is to be understood that the invention is capable of numerous changes, modifications and rearrangements, and such changes, modifications and rearrangements are intended to be covered by the following claims. Also, in the following claims, those elements which do not include the words “means for” are intended not to be interpreted under 35 U.S.C. §112¶6.

Technology Classification (CPC): 6