Abstract:
A method and system for promoting and marketing more environmental friendly print shops through a process carried out by an online platform. The process includes the steps of receiving a print job request with particular specifications from a customer, retrieving from a database profiles of participating print shops to determine which print shops can handle the print job, calculating a job-level green score based on the particular specifications of the print job request for each such print shop, and recommending to the customer a list of print shops that can handle the print job with a ranking of their job-level green scores. The process may also include the steps of collecting information and data from the print shops to prepare their profiles and calculate a shop-level green score for each print shop based on a set of environmental friendly factors, and storing the profiles in a database, and recommending the print shops that can handle the print job based on a ranking of total green score.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0002]    This invention relates generally to method and system for printing management and in particular, it relates to method and system for making printing more environmentally friendly. 
         [0003]    2. Description of Related Art 
         [0004]    Many printing jobs today are processed by “print shops”, which refers to an environment of professional print shops, publishing workshops, print/copy departments of large organizations or business entities, and/or press unit of educational institutions such as colleges and universities, where a variety of print job requests such as large-volume duplication or document printing needs to be processed and completed by utilizing multiple printers within a specified turn-around time. 
         [0005]    There is a growing effort to make print shops more “green”, which means that the print shops will complete print jobs in a more environmentally friendly manner. For example, more energy efficient printers are increasingly installed in print shops, and recycled papers are more often used for various print jobs. This is also a growing need for providing an online platform for environmentally conscious consumers to find and select more environmentally friendly print shops for their print jobs, and for more environmentally friendly print shops to be encouraged and rewarded for more business from environmentally conscious consumers. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0006]    The present invention is directed to a method and system for promoting and marketing more environmental friendly printing. 
         [0007]    An object of the present invention is to provide an online platform or portal for environmentally conscious consumers to find and select more environmentally friendly print shops for their print jobs, and for more environmentally friendly print shops to be encouraged and rewarded for more business from environmentally conscious consumers. 
         [0008]    To achieve these and/or other objects, as embodied and broadly described, the present invention provides a method and system for promoting and marketing more environmental friendly print shops through a process carried out by an online platform. The process includes the steps of receiving a print job request with particular specifications from a customer, retrieving from a database profiles of participating print shops to determine which print shops can handle the print job, calculating a job-level green score based on the particular specifications of the print job request for each such print shop, and recommending to the customer a list of print shops that can handle the print job with a ranking of their total green scores. The process may also include the steps of collecting information and data from a multiplicity of participating print shops to prepare profiles of these participating print shops, calculating a shop-level green score for each print shop based on a set of environmental friendly factors, and storing the profiles in a database, and recommending the print shops that can handle the print job with a ranking of a total green-score. 
         [0009]    Additional features and advantages of the invention will be set forth in the descriptions that follow and in part will be apparent from the description, or may be learned by practice of the invention. The objectives and other advantages of the invention will be realized and attained by the structure particularly pointed out in the written description and claims thereof as well as the appended drawings. 
         [0010]    It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory and are intended to provide further explanation of the invention as claimed. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0011]      FIG. 1  is a schematic block diagram illustrating an exemplary online platform for customers to use environmental friendly print shops where embodiments of the present invention may be implemented. 
           [0012]      FIG. 2  is a schematic block diagram illustrating an exemplary customer computer system for accessing the online platform according to an embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0013]      FIG. 3  is a schematic block diagram illustrating an exemplary print shop server and printers connected to the online platform according to an embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0014]      FIG. 4  is a flow chart showing an exemplary process implementing a method for promoting and marketing environmental friendly print shops through an online platform according to an embodiment of the present invention. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       [0015]    Embodiments of the present invention provide a method and system for promoting and marketing environmental friendly print shops. The present invention method may be implemented by a computer software program that has program codes and instructions for implementing the steps of the present invention. 
         [0016]    Referring to  FIG. 1 , there is shown a schematic block diagram illustrating an exemplary system set up or arrangement  2  in which various embodiments of the present invention may be implemented. The present invention set up or arrangement  2  includes an online service for promoting and marketing environmental friendly printing. The environmentally friendly printing promotion and marketing service is provided by utilizing one or more servers  10  which is connected to an open computer network such as the Internet  8 , where the computer program implementing the present invention process is installed and executed to provide an online platform or portal to promote and market environmental friendly printing. The platform server  10  is connected via the Internet  8  with a multiplicity of computers of consumers  1 ,  2 , . . . , i, . . . , M respectively, where computer  20  of consumer i is representative and will be described in detail below. The platform server  10  is also connected via the Internet  8  with a multiplicity of servers of print shops  1 ,  2 , . . . , j, . . . , N respectively, where server  30  of print shop j is representative and will be described in detail below. 
         [0017]    Referring to  FIG. 2 , there is shown a schematic block diagram illustrating an exemplary set up or arrangement  4  of a customer computer  20 , whereupon various embodiments of the present invention may be implemented. The customer computer  20  typically includes a central processor unit (CPU)  22  that controls the function and operation of the computer  20  and execute computer instructions and programs that may be installed or saved on a read only memory (ROM)  23 , a random access memory (RAM)  24 , or a data storage unit  25  (such as a hard disc drive or a flash memory) coupled to the CPU  22 . One or more user terminals  26  (each may have its display and input units) may be connected to the computer  20  to enable a customer and/or user to interact with the computer  20 . Alternatively the computer  20  may have its own integrated display and input units to enable a customer or user to interact with the computer  20 . The computer  20  typically also has a local input/output (I/O) port  27  for connection with the user terminal  26 , and a network I/O port  28  for connection to a network such as the Internet  8  so the computer  20  may remotely communicate with the platform server  10  and print shop servers  30 . It is understood that customer computer  20  may be any suitable computer, such as a desktop computer, a laptop computer, a server, a netbook computer, a tablet computer such as iPad®, or any suitable data processing apparatus including but not limited to smart-phones such as iPhone®, iPod Touch® and other handheld devices that have suitable data processing capabilities. 
         [0018]    Referring to  FIG. 3 , there is shown a schematic block diagram illustrating an exemplary print shop printing system set up or arrangement  6 , whereupon various embodiments of the present invention may be implemented. In this patent application the term “print shop” refers to an environment of professional print shops, publishing workshops, print/copy departments of large organizations or business entities, and press unit of educational institutions such as colleges and universities, where a variety of print on demand (POD) requests, such as large-volume duplication and large document printing, needs to be processed and completed by utilizing multiple printers within a specified turn-around time. 
         [0019]    In the exemplary print shop printing system set up or arrangement  6 , a multiplicity of color and/or black and white printers are connected to and controlled by the printer shop server  30  through a data communication channel  50  which may be a wired or wireless network, a serial bus or a dedicated cable. One or more of the printers, such as printer  40 , may also be directly connected to and controlled by a computer  60 . Other devices (not shown) may also be connected to the server  30 , the computer  60  or network channel  50 , such as scanners, finishing devices, etc., as part of the printing system set up or arrangement  6 . The print shop system  6  may also include a number of “off-line” (or “off-network”) devices (not shown) that are not connected to the network  16 , which devices may be any type of devices used in the print shop, such as finishing devices, prepress devices, etc. 
         [0020]    In this application the term “printer” may refer to small desk-top printers typically seen in an office environment, or large digital printing systems used in print/copy departments at large organizations or professional print shops. The term may also cover other similar image and document processing devices such as copiers or multifunction (“all-in-one”) printers that also have copier, scanner and/or facsimile functions. The printer may be directly attached to a computer or server locally, or connected to a computer or server through a network remotely, where the computer or server are used to manage a print job to be processed by the printer. The printer may have multiple paper trays to store paper of various sizes, color, and types. Further, the printer may be equipped with a sophisticated output sorting mechanism with multiple output trays to perform collate printing or other print finishing functions. 
         [0021]    As shown in  FIG. 3 , the print shop server  30  typically includes a central processor unit (CPU)  32  that controls the function and operation of the server  30  and execute computer instructions and programs that may be installed or saved on a read only memory (ROM)  33 , a random access memory (RAM)  34 , or a data storage unit  35  (such as a hard disc drive) coupled to the CPU  32 . One or more print shop operator terminals  36  (each may have its display and input units) may be connected to the server  30  to enable print shop operators and/or users to interact with the server  30  and/or the rest of the print shop system  6 . Alternatively the server  30  may have its own integrated display and input units to enable print shop operators and/or users to interact with the server  30  and/or the rest of the print shop system  6 . The server  30  typically has a local input/output (I/O) port  37  for connection with the user terminal  36 , and a network I/O port  38  for connection to the data communication channel  50 . Through the network channel  50  the server  30  is also connected to the external computer network such as the Internet  8  so the server  30  can remotely communicate with the platform server  10  and customer computers  20 . 
         [0022]    As also shown in  FIG. 3 , the printer  40  typically has a control panel  41 , a controller or control unit  42  which controls the other internal units of printer  40  and is connected to the control panel  41 , read-only memory (ROM)  43  and a data storage unit  44 . The control panel  41  is accessible by a user and may include a display screen such as a liquid crystal display (LCD) display screen and user input means such as keys, buttons, touch screen, etc., for a user to communicate with and control the function and operation of printer  40 . The printer  40  also has an image processing unit  45  and a print engine  46 . The printer  40  typically has a network input/output (I/O) port  47  for connection with the print shop server  30 , and a local I/O port  48  for optionally connecting to the local computer  60 . 
         [0023]    It is understood that while  FIG. 3  shows a print shop environment, the present invention is not limited to any physical setting of a print shop or network, and can be applied to a printing system having a distributed setting where printers at different locations are connected to one print shop server. In particular, it should be apparent that one or more of the components of the printing system can communicate with the rest of the system via virtual private network (VPN) or similar means through the Internet  8 . 
         [0024]    The present invention provides an online service for promoting and marketing environmental friendly printing preferably by operating an online platform or portal on the platform server  10 . The computer software program that implements the present invention method and process may be installed on the platform server  10 , and its application modules or client-end component parts may be installed on the customer computers  20  and/or printer shop servers  30  (or on the printer  40  or computer  60 ). When a platform server operator executes the exemplary software program of the present invention, the platform server  10  carries out various respective functions of the software to perform the platform service provider part of the exemplary process of the present invention. When a customer executes an application module of the exemplified software program of the present invention from the customer&#39;s end, the customer computer  20  carries out various respective functions of the software to perform the customer part of the exemplary process of the present invention. When a print shop operator executes an application module of the exemplified software program of the present invention from the print shop&#39;s end, the printer shop server  30  carries out various respective functions of the software to perform the print shop part of the exemplary process of the present invention. Together the execution of the various application modules of the exemplary software program of the present invention by the platform server  10 , customer computers  20  and/or printer shop servers  30  cause the performance and completion of the exemplary method and process of the present invention described below. 
         [0025]    Referring to  FIG. 4 , there is illustrated an exemplary method and process of the present invention, which generally includes the basic steps of: a data preparation step during which available profiles of the print shops including environmental friendly factors are gathered, sorted and stored in a database (Step S 110 ), a customer requesting step during which a customer is inquiring about a print job and seeking print shop information related to environmental friendly factors (Step S 120 ), an evaluation and scoring step during which print shops are evaluated and scored based on the environmental friendly factors and the particular print job requested by the customer (Step S 130 ), a recommendation step during which print shops with favorable environmental friendly scores, as well as options to make the print job more environmental friendly, are recommended to the customer (Step S 140 ), and a print job assignment step during which the print job is assigned and forwarded to the print shop selected by the customer (Step  150 ). 
         [0026]    According to one embodiment of the present invention method and process, in the data preparation stage (Step S 110 ), the platform service provider will first establish a set of environmental friendly factors for evaluating print shops and print jobs. Such factors may include the power consumption of a print shop as compared to their capacity, the number or percentage of energy-efficient printers installed, CO 2  emission of the print shop, the type of papers (e.g., recycled paper) used, the type of toners/inks (e.g., non-toxic, more sustainable, biodegradable) used, fuel or energy efficient delivery methods used, etc. These factors may be standardized or averaged to provide a more consistent and objective evaluation of the print shops, For example, monthly overall electricity usage may be calculated on a price per watt basis. This may also apply to other shop related costs items. These factors are used to evaluate how environmental or “eco”-friendly, or “green”, a print shop is. Information and data related to these factors may be collected by the platform server  10  from the print shop servers  30  via the Internet  8 , or alternatively be submitted to the platform server  10  via the Internet  8  from the print shop server  30  of participating print shops. The collected or submitted information and data are stored in the database as the profiles of the print shops, from which a shop-level “green score” can be calculated for and assigned to each participating print shop. The shop-level green score of a print shop will be used later when a total green score is calculated. As a person who is skilled in the relevant art will appreciate, Step  110  does not need to be executed every time the exemplary method or process is executed. In other words, once the available profiles of the print shops have been gathered and the database is built up, the method or process may be initiated from Step  120  next time. However, the database and profiles of the participating print shops may be updated periodically or as needed either by the online platform provider or the print shops, or automatically by software programs executed on the platform server  10  and/or the print shop servers  20 . 
         [0027]    In the next step (Step S 120 ), the online platform receives a print job inquiry from a customer. The customer may use a customer computer  20  to log-on to a website provided by the platform server  10  through the Internet  8 . The platform server  20  will execute the exemplary software program of the present invention to allow the customer&#39;s input and submission of the print job inquiry. Alternatively the customer may execute a customer-end application module of the exemplary software program of the present invention on the customer&#39;s computer  20  to generate a print job inquiry and send it to the platform server  10  through the Internet  8 . The initial print job inquiry may include print job specifications such as the type of printing wanted (color, black and white, mixed, etc.), the finishing requirements (e.g., stapled, bounded, etc.), the quantity, the time the print job needs to be done (turn-around time or deadline), delivery location, etc. The software program may provide initial feedback or further questions to the customer about the customer&#39;s environmental friendly preferences, for example whether the customer is willing to use recycled paper, a particular type of tone/ink, etc. Sometimes choosing more environmental friendly options may cause more for the print job, for example due to increased costs of the printer, paper or toner/ink. So the customer may be asked whether the customer is willing to pay more for the print job that is done more environmental friendly or by a more environmental friendly print shop. Based on the further input/answer from the customer, a refined print job request is finalized and created. 
         [0028]    In the next step (Step S 130 ), the exemplary software program of the present invention running on the platform server will retrieve print shop profiles from the database to see what print shops are suitable for the refined print job request, which may depends on a particular print shop&#39;s availability, capacity, location, etc. For the print shops that can handle the print job requests, a job-level “green score” is calculated for each print shop. The job-level scores are specific to the print job request. For example, if the customer has specified a particular thickness of paper to be used, it may affect power usage of the print job (e.g., more heat needs to be generated by the printer to affix toner on thicker paper, which consumes more power). If a print shop has an energy efficient printer that can handle this type of paper required by the particular print job, than the print shop may earn a higher job-level “green score”. Once a job-level green score is calculated for each print shop that can handle the print job request, it is combined with the shop-level green score of the print shop to yield a “total green score”. Finally, all participating print shops that can handle the print job request are ranked based on their total green scores. In addition to this, ranking of the print shops based on their job-level green scores may be calculated. 
         [0029]    In the next step (Step S 140 ), the participating print shops that can handle the print job request are recommended to the customer with their rankings of the total green scores and/or the job-level green scores. The platform server  10  may send this recommendation to the customer&#39;s computer  20  via the Internet  8 , or the customer may log-on the platform server  10  via the Internet  8  from the customer&#39;s computer  20  to obtain the recommendation. The customer can then make a selection of the print shop by which the customer wants to have the print job handled. In addition to the recommendation, a suggestion may be provided to change or modify some of the print job specifications to reduce the prices and/or carbon foot prints of the print job. For the purpose of providing this suggestion, in Step S 120 , the customer may specify the print job specifications with their degrees of desires. That is to say, a particular specification with lower desire degree may be higher candidate when providing the suggestion to change or modify the print job specifications. 
         [0030]    In the last step of the present invention process (Step  150 ), the platform server  10  will forward the print job request via the Internet  8  to the print shop server  20  of the print shop selected by the customer, so the print shop can go ahead print the job. Alternatively, the customer may send the print job request directly from the customer computer  10  via the Internet  8  to the print shop server  20  of the print shop selected by the customer. 
         [0031]    The above described exemplary method and process according to the present invention has many advantages. It provides a convenient way for a customer to select a more environmental friendly print shop to handle a print job based on objective and measurable criteria and factors. It also provides an effective way to promote and reward a more environmental friendly print shop with increase amount of visibility and business. It further encourage print shop to be more environmental friendly. 
         [0032]    It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modification and variations can be made to the methods of the present invention without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention. Thus, it is intended that the present invention cover modifications and variations that come within the scope of the appended claims and their equivalents.