Patent Description:
The invention also relates to a printer - specifically a large format hybrid printer - , which comprises a print controller which is configured to execute the steps of the method according to the present invention.

The media support plane may also be called "table" hereinafter.

A rigid print medium may also be called "rigid", "board" or "rigid board".

The print medium may also be called "print media" or "print media piece".

A guiding bar may also be called an alignment bar.

Large format hybrid printers are configured to print both rigid substrates as well as flexible print media. Such a printer may comprise a transport device comprising an endless transport belt supported on at least one pair of support rollers, which between them define a medium support plane. Over the medium support plane a print station is provided. The print station generally comprises a printhead carriage translatable over the belt to print an image on a print medium on the belt in consecutive swaths. The print medium is moved in steps in between passes of the printhead carriage.

A large format hybrid printer is intended to be a productive engine capable of printing both on roll-<NUM>-roll media and on rigids. To be productive on rigids the printer is equipped with a multilane concept. With this, multiple rigids can be printed in parallel next to each other. The multilane concept increases productivity since there will be less "turn time" for the print station compared to "jetting time".

The patents and/or patent applications <CIT>, <CIT>, <CIT>, <CIT> and <CIT> also relate to printers configured for applying a multilane concept.

In order to enhance an overall productivity and to reduce operator hassle the printer supports the feature of independent board feeding, i.e. the print medium does not need to be aligned in the transport direction. The print medium has to be placed against one of the guiding bars to achieve a fluent transport in an appropriate lane.

However, when there is one print queue it is difficult to decide in which lane to place the print medium for which print job. On the other hand, if there are multiple lanes and there is one print queue for each lane, the operator has to monitor many queues and easily loses the overview and control over the input of print media. Moreover, showing an overview of for example <NUM> queues on a user interface of the printer is cumbersome or even impossible. Another disadvantage is that the operator has to submit print jobs to many queues which will result in a need of load balancing. However, load balancing will result in a loss of the flexibility that the operator can load a rigid in each free lane. Having multiple queues with print jobs that can have different print modes will become very complex to understand. Having queues with different print jobs and different rigid sizes makes it also very complex for the operator to keep track of which media to feed at what time.

It is an object of the invention to provide a printer with an improved ease of use of the lanes.

In accordance with the present invention, a method for printing according to claim <NUM> is provided.

To support an operator in making optimal use of the multi-lane concept, two queues are created. The operator uses two queues, one queue for images on print media that are intended to be left aligned along a guiding bar, and one queue for images on print media that are intended to be right aligned along a guiding bar. When an image has reached the top of the first print queue or the second print queue, i.e. the image is the first one in the first print queue or the second print queue, the image is ready to be printed on left aligned print media respectively right aligned print media.

Depending on the customer application the alignment of the rigid board is important for printing on rigids. For example, double sided printing on boards may oblige to ensure to use a same edge of the board to align on when printing a front side and a back side of the board, i.e. all front sides of the boards may be left aligned, while all back sides of the boards may be right aligned.

Another example of the importance of aligning relates to a post-processing step also known as a finishing step after printing on the boards. To support optimal finishing, it is ensured that all boards are printed on with a same alignment edge.

According to an embodiment the method comprises the steps of, in case of a presence of the digital image in the first queue, receiving print media which is left aligned along a guiding bar and printing the digital image on left aligned print media, and, in case of a presence of the digital image in the second queue, receiving print media which is right aligned along a guiding bar and printing the digital image on right aligned print media.

According to an embodiment the printer comprises above each lane a signaling object which is activated when the corresponding lane is enabled to receive print media, and the method comprises the steps of determining if the next image to be printed resides in the first queue or in the second queue, in case of a residence in the first queue, activating the signaling object of each lane for which the print media requires to be left aligned and deactivating the signaling object of each lane for which the print media requires to be right aligned, and in case of a residence in the second queue, activating the signaling object of each lane for which the print media requires to be right aligned and deactivating the signaling object of each lane for which the print media requires to be left aligned.

According to an embodiment the digital image to be printed is comprised in a print job having a plurality of print job attributes comprising a print job attribute for a required alignment, and the step of establishing if the digital image requires to be right aligned or left aligned along a guiding bar, comprises the sub-step of taking the print job attribute for the required alignment into account. The print job attribute may be a left alignment, a right alignment or a "don't care" alignment. The print controller may read out the print job attribute from the print job and automatically place the digital image of the print job in the first print queue in case of a required left alignment or in the second print queue in case of a required right alignment. In case of a "don't care" alignment, the digital image may arbitrarily be placed in one of the two print queues or for example in the print queue which is shortest in planned time for the images which are already placed in said print queue.

According to an embodiment the printer comprises a user interface and the method comprises the step of displaying the two queues on a screen of the user interface.

According to an embodiment the user interface comprises a waiting room comprising images to be selected for printing, and the method comprises the steps of selecting an image in the waiting room and moving or copying the selected image to one of the two queues on the screen of the user interface.

According to an embodiment the method comprises the step of blocking one of the print queues due to at least one print situation out of a group of print situations comprising a first situation that a rigid is broader than a lane width, a second situation having images to be printed with different print modes, a third situation of the introduction of new print media and a fourth situation of having print media of different thicknesses. When a print queue is blocked, no images and/or print jobs can be added to the print queue. A print mode may be defined by a number of passes the print station makes in order to create a complete swath of marking material on the print media. In case of new print medium, the properties of the new print medium have to be entered in a media management module of the printer. In case of different thicknesses of the print media, the print head height above the medium support plane has to be adjusted and images of different thicknesses cannot be printed simultaneously in different lanes.

The present invention also relates to a printer according to claim <NUM>.

According to an embodiment the printer comprises a user interface for displaying the two print queues comprising digital images to be printed by the printer.

The present invention also relates to a software product comprising program code on a machine-readable medium, which program code, when loaded into a print controller of a digital printer according to the present invention, causes the print controller to execute the steps of the method according to the present invention.

Further scope of applicability of the present invention will become apparent from the detailed description given hereinafter.

<FIG> shows a wide format inkjet printer <NUM>. The wide-format printer <NUM> comprises an inkjet printing assembly <NUM> for printing on a print medium <NUM>. The print medium <NUM> in <FIG> is a relatively rigid substrate, such as a panel. The print medium <NUM> is supplied from a media input unit <NUM>, which may be configured for storing a plurality of such print media <NUM> and supplying these to the printer <NUM>. The printer <NUM> comprises transport means for receiving and transporting the print medium <NUM> along the inkjet printing assembly <NUM>. In <FIG>, the transport means comprise an endless transport belt <NUM> supported on a plurality of support rollers 3A, 3B, 3C. At least one of the support rollers 3A, 3B, 3C is provided with driving means for moving the belt <NUM>. Additionally, one or more one of the support rollers 3A, 3B, 3C may be configured to be moved and/or tilted to adjust and control the lateral position of the belt <NUM>. The printer <NUM> is provided with at least one sensor or detector, such as a CCD camera or area camera, to determine the relative position of belt <NUM> and/or the print medium <NUM>. Data from said at least one sensor or detector may be applied to control the position of the belt <NUM> and/or the print medium <NUM>. The at least one sensor or detector is positioned in or at a housing (not shown) of the printer <NUM> and is configured to detect the print medium <NUM> before transporting the print medium <NUM> or before the print medium reaches the print station <NUM>. By using cameras the print medium <NUM> can be detected over a full width of the medium support plane, and before the print station <NUM> will start printing on the print medium <NUM>. The at least one sensor or detector can also sense or see alignment bars (not shown) positioned on the media input unit <NUM> extending towards the medium support plane. According to an alternative embodiment the at least one sensor or detector is integrated in the medium support plane.

The belt <NUM> is further provided with through-holes and a suction box <NUM> in connection with a suction source (not shown), such that a negative pressure may be applied to the print medium <NUM> via the through-holes in the belt <NUM>. The negative pressure adheres the print medium <NUM> flatly to the belt <NUM> and prevents displacement of the print medium <NUM> with respect to the belt <NUM>. Due to this holding the belt <NUM> is able to transport the print medium <NUM>. It will be appreciated that other suitable transport means, such as rollers, steppers, etc., may alternatively be applied. The print medium <NUM> may be transported stepwise and/or in continuous movement.

The inkjet printing assembly <NUM> is configured to translate along a first guide beam <NUM> in a scanning direction. The scanning direction is perpendicular to the direction in which the print medium is transported by the belt <NUM>. The inkjet printing assembly <NUM> holds a plurality of print heads (not shown), which are configured to jet a plurality of different marking materials (different colors of ink, primers, coatings, etc.) on the print medium <NUM>. Each marking material for use in the printing assembly <NUM> is stored in one of a plurality of containers arranged in fluid connection with the respective print heads for supplying marking material to said print heads to print an image on the print medium <NUM>.

The ejection of the marking material from the print heads is performed in accordance with data provided in the respective print job. The timing by which the droplets of marking material are released from the print heads determines their position on the print medium <NUM>. The timing may be adjusted based on the position of the inkjet printing assembly <NUM> along the first guide beam <NUM>. The above mentioned sensor <NUM> may therein be applied to determine the relative position and/or velocity of the inkjet printing assembly <NUM> with respect to the print medium <NUM>. Based upon data from the sensor <NUM>, the release timing of the marking material may be adjusted.

Upon ejection of the marking material, some marking material may be spilled and stay on a nozzle surface of the print heads. The marking material present on the nozzle surface, may negatively influence the ejection of droplets and the placement of these droplets on the print medium <NUM>. Therefore, it may be advantageous to remove excess of marking material from the nozzle surface. The excess of marking material may be removed for example by wiping with a wiper and/or by application of a suitable anti-wetting property of the surface, e.g. provided by a coating.

The marking materials may require treatment to properly fixate them on the print medium. Thereto, a fixation unit <NUM> is provided downstream of the inkjet printing assembly <NUM>. The fixation unit <NUM> may emit heat and/or radiation to facilitate the marking material fixation process. In the example of <FIG>, the fixation unit <NUM> is a radiation emitter, which emits light of certain frequencies, which interacts with the marking materials, for example UV light in case of UV-curable inks. The fixation unit <NUM> in <FIG> is translatable along a second guide beam <NUM>. Other fixation units <NUM>, such as page-wide curing or drying stations may also be applied. Further, the inkjet printing assembly <NUM> may be provided with a further fixation unit on the same carriage which holds the print heads. This further fixation unit can be used to (partially) cure and/or harden the marking materials, independent of or interaction with the fixation unit <NUM>.

After printing, and optionally fixation, the print medium <NUM> is transported to a receiving unit (not shown). The receiving unit may comprise a take-up roller for winding up the print medium <NUM>, a receiving tray for supporting sheets of print medium <NUM>, or a rigid media handler, similar to the media input unit <NUM>. Optionally, the receiving unit may comprise processing means for processing the medium <NUM> after printing, e.g. a posttreatment device such as a coater, a folder, a cutter, or a puncher.

The wide-format printer <NUM> furthermore comprises a user interface <NUM> for receiving print jobs and optionally for manipulating print jobs. The local user interface unit <NUM> is integrated to the print engine and may comprise a display unit and a control panel. Alternatively, the control panel may be integrated in the display unit, for example in the form of a touch-screen control panel. The local user interface unit <NUM> is connected to a control unit <NUM> connected to the printer <NUM>. The control unit <NUM>, for example a computer, comprises a processor adapted to issue commands to the printer <NUM>, for example for controlling the print process. The printer <NUM> may optionally be connected to a network. The connection to the network can be via cable or wireless. The printer <NUM> may receive printing jobs via the network. Further, optionally, the control unit <NUM> of the printer <NUM> may be provided with an input port, such as a USB port, so printing jobs may be sent to the printer <NUM> via this input port.

The printer <NUM> in <FIG> is a so-called hybrid printer, capable of handling both flexible media and rigid substrates. In <FIG>, the printer <NUM> operates in a first print situation, wherein the printer <NUM> is configured for transporting rigid substrates, such as the print medium <NUM>. Such rigid print media <NUM> may be panels for doors, walls, etc., corrugated media, plates formed of plastic or metal, etc. To handle these rigid print media <NUM>, the printer <NUM> in <FIG> is configured with a substantially linear transport path: from the media input device <NUM>, the print medium <NUM> moves forward along the inkjet printing assembly <NUM> at a at substantially constant height. The media input unit <NUM> and the receiving unit are positioned at the level of the medium support surface of the belt <NUM>. In <FIG>, a flexible web medium <NUM> is supplied to the printer <NUM>, which web medium <NUM> may be composed of e.g. paper, label stock, coated paper, plastic or textile. The web medium <NUM> is supplied from the input roller 2A and extends across the belt <NUM> to the take-up roller 2B, where the web medium <NUM> is re-wound. The printer <NUM> is configured to swiftly and efficiently switch between print modes.

An embodiment of the control unit <NUM> is in more detail presented in <FIG>. As shown in <FIG>, the control unit <NUM> comprises a Central Processing Unit (CPU) <NUM>, a Graphical Processor Unit (GPU) <NUM>, a Random Access Memory (RAM) <NUM>, a Read Only Memory (ROM) <NUM>, a network unit <NUM>, an interface unit <NUM>, a hard disk (HD) <NUM> and an image processing unit <NUM> such as a Raster Image Processor (RIP). The aforementioned units <NUM> - <NUM> are interconnected through a bus system <NUM>. However, the control unit <NUM> may also be a distributed control unit.

The CPU <NUM> controls the printing system <NUM> in accordance with control programs stored in the ROM <NUM> or on the HD <NUM> and the local user interface panel <NUM>. The CPU <NUM> also controls the image processing unit <NUM> and the GPU <NUM>. The ROM <NUM> stores programs and data such as boot program, set-up program, various set-up data or the like, which are to be read out and executed by the CPU <NUM>. The hard disk <NUM> is an example of a non-volatile storage unit for storing and saving programs and data which make the CPU <NUM> execute a print process to be described later. The hard disk <NUM> also comprises an area for saving the data of externally submitted print jobs. The programs and data on the HD <NUM> are read out onto the RAM <NUM> by the CPU <NUM> as needed. The RAM <NUM> has an area for temporarily storing the programs and data read out from the ROM <NUM> and HD <NUM> by the CPU <NUM>, and a work area which is used by the CPU <NUM> to execute various processes. The interface unit <NUM> connects the control unit <NUM> to the client device <NUM> and to the printing system <NUM>. The network unit <NUM> connects the control unit <NUM> to the network N and is designed to provide communication with workstations and with other devices reachable via the network N. The image processing unit <NUM> may be implemented as a software component running on an operation system of the control unit <NUM> or as a firmware program, for example embodied in a field-programmable gate array (FPGA) or an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC). The image processing unit <NUM> has functions for reading, interpreting and rasterizing the print job data. Said print job data contains image data to be printed (i.e. fonts and graphics that describe the content of the document to be printed, described in a Page Description Language or the like), image processing attributes and print settings.

<FIG> shows schematically the printer <NUM> seen from above provided with a multi-lane concept. The belt <NUM> is divided into lanes <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM> which are parallel in the transport direction Y of the print media on the media input unit <NUM> and the belt <NUM>. In parallel a plurality of individual print media may be transported perpendicular to a scanning direction X of the print station <NUM> of the printer <NUM>. The print media may have different dimensions. Positions of each individual print medium is determined. A designated image specific for each print medium is jetted on each respective print medium. The above steps are repeated such that print media are printed in parallel lanes <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM> perpendicular to the scanning direction.

In this example, four lanes <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM> are depicted. However, according to the invention the number of lanes may be in principle two or more lanes. A number of preferred configurations will be described hereinafter.

The position and the widths of the lanes <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM> on the belt <NUM> and the media input unit <NUM> are configurable via the user interface <NUM>. Such a configuration is determined by the positions of one or more guiding bars <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>.

The lanes <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM> are completely or partially bound by guiding bars <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM> extending on the media input unit <NUM> towards the belt <NUM> in the transport direction Y of the belt <NUM>.

The print media may be aligned by means of the guiding bars <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>. A print media piece may be left aligned or right aligned. For example print media piece <NUM> is left aligned along guiding bar <NUM> and print media piece <NUM> is right aligned along guiding bar <NUM>. The print media may have different sizes, i.e. different lengths and/or widths.

A housing <NUM> above the belt <NUM> comprises a guiding rail <NUM> via which the print station <NUM> is able to travel in the scanning direction X. The housing <NUM> also comprises one or more sensors (not shown) which are substantially downward directed to the belt <NUM> for detecting a presence and a position of print media in the lanes <NUM> - <NUM>. The housing <NUM> also comprises signaling objects <NUM> at the front side directed to the media input unit <NUM> for signaling if a lane is disabled or enabled or if a lane is available to receive print media to print the images of the current print job. A signaling object <NUM> is positioned above each of the defined lanes <NUM> - <NUM>.

The signaling object <NUM> preferably is a LED lamp. The signaling object <NUM> may be deactivated when the lane is disabled or when in use but no media has to be fed at the moment because there are no print jobs in the print queue corresponding to the kind of alignment of the lane. Two kind of alignments of a lane are envisioned: a left alignment of a lane in which all fed print media are left aligned and a right alignment of a lane in which all fed print media are right aligned. The signaling object <NUM> may be activated when the lane is enabled. However, other ways of signaling in order to indicate that a lane is disabled or enabled may be envisioned within the scope of the present invention. The signaling object may have a green light when a print medium can be fed. Other colours can be used, e.g. a red colour for an error at printing, or a colour green blinking when a print medium can soon be fed.

If a particular lane is disabled, no marking material will be jetted downwards from the print station <NUM> when the print station is travelling over the particular lane in the scanning direction X.

<FIG> schematically shows examples of table layouts of the media support plane <NUM> provided with guiding bars according to the present invention.

A first table layout <NUM> comprises <NUM> alignment bars, i.e. one alignment bar <NUM> at a left side of the table, one alignment bar <NUM> at one third of the table, one alignment bar <NUM> at two third of the table and one alignment bar <NUM> at a right side of the table. The first table layout <NUM> results in at most <NUM> lanes. Three lanes may be used to left align print media and the other three lanes may be used to right align print media.

A second table layout <NUM> comprises <NUM> alignment bars, i.e. one alignment bar <NUM> at a left side of the table, one alignment bar <NUM> halfway of the table and one alignment bar <NUM> at a right side of the table. The second table layout <NUM> results in at most <NUM> lanes. By adding the alignment bar <NUM> in the middle the operator can use for example two lanes or <NUM> lanes. However, the operator is free to use each of the available free lanes.

A third table layout <NUM> comprises <NUM> alignment bars, i.e. one alignment bar <NUM> at a left side of the table and one alignment bar <NUM> at a right side of the table. The third table layout results in at most <NUM> lanes. The operator can use one or two lanes depending on the size of the rigids.

A fourth table layout <NUM> also comprises <NUM> alignment bars, i.e. one alignment bar <NUM> at a left side of the table and one alignment bar <NUM> at two third of the table, wherein the remaining one third <NUM> of the table is not used. The fourth table layout <NUM> results in at most <NUM> lanes. By positioning the alignment bar at a position of <NUM>/<NUM>rd of the medium support plane only a part of the medium support plane at the left side of the alignment bar is used. This will already result in a higher productivity which can even be increased by disabling the right aligned lane, for example if two rigid boards do not fit next to each other.

At the third table layout <NUM> or the fourth table layout <NUM> the operator is free to use each of the available lanes, but he may have his preferences. For example, if a pile of rigids to be loaded is positioned at the left side of the printer <NUM> he may have a preference to load more rigids in the lane at the left side of the printer, i.e. in the left lane.

<FIG> schematically shows a front side of the housing <NUM> comprising the signaling objects <NUM>. Fig. 5C shows examples of signaling layouts <NUM> - <NUM> of the signaling objects <NUM>, <NUM> above the media support plane <NUM> according to the present invention.

The layouts <NUM> - <NUM> correspond to the table layouts <NUM> - <NUM> in <FIG> respectively, wherein each lane is enabled and not blocked.

The signaling objects <NUM> which are coloured white in <FIG> represent signaling objects for lanes in which the print media need to be left aligned along a corresponding alignment bar. The signaling objects <NUM> which are coloured black in <FIG> represent signaling objects for lanes in which the print media need to be right aligned along a corresponding alignment bar.

When a current job needs left aligned print media the signaling objects which are coloured white will be activated. When a current job needs right aligned print media the signaling objects which are coloured black will be activated.

The planning of feeding of a print medium in the printer may be directly derived from the print job order sequence in the two print queues of the printer <NUM>, where each print job indicates sizes of the at least one image to be printed on the print media. The print controller <NUM> keeps track of the completed images, the currently being printed images and the images to be scheduled for printing. A next print job to be printed may have a deviating setting which influences the printing and also the feeding of print medium upon which the next print job is going to be printed. Due to the deviating setting beforehand the print controller can control the signaling objects <NUM> to indicate which lanes are free for feeding print media by the operator for the next print job, i.e. the lanes that are not blocked. Before feeding the print media into the medium support plane, the operator has to define and acknowledge by means of a system setting of the printer <NUM> the size of the print media to be fed at the start of a print job. Thus the printer <NUM> knows the size, e.g. the width and the length of the print medium used for printing the images of the print job.

In some situations the print controller <NUM> may even temporarily block one of the print queues as mentioned before.

<FIG> shows a schematic user interface screen <NUM> according to the present invention. In a first window <NUM> a waiting room is depicted in which images of print jobs are received when submitted to the printer <NUM>. In a second window <NUM> the first print queue for images to be printed on left aligned print media is listed. In a third window <NUM> the second print queue for images to be printed on left aligned print media is listed. An image in the waiting room in the first window <NUM> may be selected and, moved or copied to the second window <NUM> or the third window <NUM>. Action buttons (not shown) may be provided at the user interface screen <NUM> to move or copy a selected image from the waiting room to the second window <NUM> or the third window <NUM>. The user interface screen may be a touch sensitive screen which enables dragging of an image from the waiting room to the second window <NUM> or the third window <NUM>.

The digital images submitted to the printer <NUM> may also be automatically placed in on of the printing queues in the second window <NUM> or the third window <NUM>. Namely, the digital image to be printed may be comprised in a print job having a plurality of print job attributes comprising a print job attribute for a required alignment. The print job attribute may be a left alignment, a right alignment or a "don't care" alignment. The print controller <NUM> may read out the print job attribute from the print job and automatically place the digital image of the print job in the first print queue in the second window <NUM> in case of a required left alignment or in the second print queue in the third window <NUM> in case of a required right alignment. In case of a "don't care" alignment, the digital image may arbitrarily be placed in one of the two print queues or for example in the print queue which is shortest in planned time for the images which are already placed in said print queue. When an image is dragged, copied and/or moved into a print queue the print job attribute for alignment in the print job is automatically changed in accordance with the print queue, if necessary. For example, when the image is dragged in another queue than prescribed by the print job attribute for alignment, said attribute is changed.

<FIG> shows a schematic top view of the printer <NUM> with belt <NUM> and media support unit <NUM>. In this example two alignment bars <NUM>, <NUM> are positioned on the media support unit <NUM> which extend towards the belt <NUM>. This example is according to the table layout <NUM> shown in <FIG>. A first alignment bar <NUM> is positioned on the left side of the media support unit <NUM>. A second alignment bar <NUM> is positioned on the right side of the media support unit <NUM>. Images in the print queue of the second window <NUM> in <FIG> are printed on media <NUM> which is left aligned. Images in the print queue of the third window <NUM> in <FIG> are printed on media <NUM> which is right aligned.

The same concept as depicted in <FIG> may be applied with additional alignment bars and by doing so using multiple lanes per print queue.

For example <FIG> shows an example according to table layout <NUM> shown in <FIG>. An additional alignment bar <NUM> is positioned in the middle of the media support unit <NUM>. By adding the additional alignment bar <NUM> the operator may use two lanes or <NUM> lanes. In two lanes left aligned media <NUM>, <NUM> may be fed. In the other two lanes right aligned media <NUM>, <NUM> may be fed. Images in the print queue of the second window <NUM> in <FIG> are printed on media pieces <NUM>, <NUM> which are left aligned. Images in the print queue of the third window <NUM> in <FIG> are printed on media pieces <NUM>, <NUM> which are right aligned.

For example <FIG> shows an example according to table layout <NUM> shown in <FIG>. Two additional alignment bars <NUM>, <NUM> is positioned on one third and two thirds respectively of the media support unit <NUM>. By adding the additional alignment bars <NUM>, <NUM> the operator may use up to <NUM> lanes. In three lanes left aligned media <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM> may be fed. In the other three lanes right aligned media <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM> may be fed. Images in the print queue of the second window <NUM> in <FIG> are printed on media pieces <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM> which are left aligned. Images in the print queue of the third window <NUM> in <FIG> are printed on media pieces <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM> which are right aligned.

The operator will be able to use the concepts as shown in <FIG> without having a need to split jobs over multiple queues in order to use multiple lanes. In the basic configuration (without additional guiding bars) as shown in <FIG> one or two lanes may be used depending on the size of the rigids. By adding a bar in the middle he can use two lanes or <NUM> lanes as shown in <FIG>. However the operator is always free to use each of the available free lanes. If the pile of rigids to be loaded is positioned at the left side the operator may have a preference to load more rigids in the lanes at the left side of the printer.

<FIG> discloses an example of a method according to the invention.

The first method starts in a starting point A which leads to a first step S1.

In the first step S1 the print controller receives a print job or an image to be printed. A print job may comprise multiple digital images.

In a second step S2 a kind of alignment is established. The establishment may be directly derived from reading a print job attribute of the print job comprising the digital image to be printed. The establishment may also be a mental act of the operator who has to distribute the images in the two queues. The kind of alignment may be a left alignment or a right alignment.

In a third step S3 it is checked of the established alignment is a left alignment. If so, the method proceeds to a fourth step S4. If the established alignment is a right alignment, the method proceeds to a fifth step S5.

In the fourth step S4 the image is added to the first queue for left aligned media.

In the fifth step S5 the image is added to the second queue for right aligned media.

The method may be simplified by bypassing the steps S2 and S3 and in the fourth step S4 and fifth step S5 step comprise the sub-step of moving or copying the image from the waiting room <NUM> shown in <FIG> to the second window <NUM> or the third window <NUM> respectively for left respectively right aligned media.

In a sixth step S6 the image is printed on the left aligned media.

In a seventh step S7 the image is printed on the right aligned media.

<FIG> schematically shows a non-transitory software medium <NUM> according to the invention. The software medium <NUM> comprises executable code <NUM> configured to, when executed, perform the method according to the invention, e.g. as described with respect to either the printing system <NUM> shown in <FIG> or the method of controlling the printing system <NUM> according to the present invention and/or according to any of the variants and modifications of the printing system <NUM> and/or of the method described herein.

The non-transitory software medium <NUM> may, specifically, be formed as a CD or a CD-ROM, a DVD or a DVD-ROM, a BluRay disc or a BluRay-ROM disc, a magnetic hard drive, a solid state disk (SSD) hard drive, a USB memory device and so on.

Although specific embodiments of the invention are illustrated and described herein, it will be appreciated by those of ordinary skill in the art that a variety of alternate and/or equivalent implementations exist. It should be appreciated that the exemplary embodiment or exemplary embodiments are examples only and are not intended to limit the scope, applicability, or configuration in any way. Rather, the foregoing summary and detailed description will provide those skilled in the art with a convenient road map for implementing at least one exemplary embodiment, it being understood that various changes may be made in the function and arrangement of elements described in an exemplary embodiment without departing from the scope as set forth in the appended claims. Generally, this application is intended to cover any adaptations or variations of the specific embodiments discussed herein.

It will also be appreciated that in this document the terms "comprise", "comprising", "include", "including", "contain", "containing", "have", "having", and any variations thereof, are intended to be understood in an inclusive (i.e. non-exclusive) sense, such that the process, method, device, apparatus or system described herein is not limited to those features or parts or elements or steps recited but may include other elements, features, parts or steps not expressly listed or inherent to such process, method, article, or apparatus. Furthermore, the terms "a" and "an" used herein are intended to be understood as meaning one or more unless explicitly stated otherwise. Moreover, the terms "first", "second", "third", etc. are used merely as labels, and are not intended to impose numerical requirements on or to establish a certain ranking of importance of their objects.

Claim 1:
A method for a printer (<NUM>) comprising a transport device comprising an endless transport belt (<NUM>, <NUM>) supported on a pair of support rollers (3A, 3B, 3C), which between them define a medium support plane, over which medium support plane a print station (<NUM>) is provided, wherein the method comprises the steps of
- transporting in parallel a plurality of individual print media perpendicular to a scanning direction of the print station (<NUM>) on the medium support plane, the print media having different dimensions;
- determining positions of the individual print media;
- based on the determined positions, jetting marking material for forming a designated image specific for each print medium on each respective print medium,
wherein the above steps are repeated such that print media are printed in a plurality of parallel lanes on the medium support plane perpendicular to the scanning direction,
wherein the printer is provided with a plurality of guiding bars extending in the transport direction and positioned at a side of at least one lane of the plurality of parallel lanes in order to guide the individual print media into one of the plurality of parallel lanes,
wherein the printer (<NUM>) comprises a print controller (<NUM>) for controlling the print process for a digital image to be printed, the print controller (<NUM>) comprising two print queues for receiving digital images to be printed by the printer (<NUM>), and
the method comprises the steps of
- establishing if the digital image requires to be right aligned or left aligned along a guiding bar, preferably by the operator,
in case of a required left alignment, adding the digital image to a first print queue of the two print queues, and
in case of a required right alignment, adding the digital image to a second print queue of the two print queues,
characterized in that the printer (<NUM>) comprises above each lane a signaling object which is preferably a LED lamp and which is activated when the corresponding lane is enabled to receive print media, and the method comprises the steps of determining if the next image to be printed resides in the first queue or in the second queue, in case of a residence in the first queue, activating the signaling object of each lane for which the print media requires to be left aligned, and in case of a residence in the second queue, activating the signaling object of each lane for which the print media requires to be right aligned.