System and method for producing personalized imaged material

Abstract

A system and method for producing personalized imaged material includes selectively gathering stock sheets and assembling the stock sheets into designated sets of sheets, or in an alternative method, sequentially feeding the stock sheets. The stock sheets in each designated set of sheets are sequentially processed to image personalized information onto the stock sheets. The personalized sheets are sequentially presented for finishing, which can include associating an additional item with the personalized sheets. Processing is carried out by collators, feeding systems, and variable data imaging systems, and finishing systems. Operational control is provided by a control system that includes a data structure containing user information and recipient profile information. An operations controller executes job requests for a particular user and accesses recipient profiles to image personalized information onto the stock sheets. The system and method are useful for direct marketing, invoicing, document preparation, preparation of personalized books, and the like.

1 . A method for producing personalized imaged material comprising: 
 (a) selectively ejecting predetermined stock sheets from a plurality of sheet feeders;    (b) sequentially processing the stock sheets to image personalized information onto the stock sheets to form personalized sheets; and    (c) sequentially finishing the personalized sheets.    
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein sequentially finishing the personalized sheets comprises packaging the personalized sheets with one or more additional items.  
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein packaging the personalized sheets comprises providing a package and associating an object with the package.  
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein associating an object with the package comprises inserting the object into the package.  
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein associating an object with the package comprises attaching the object to the package.  
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein associating an object with the package comprises attaching the object to at least one of the personalized sheets.  
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein associating an object with the package comprises associating an object selected from the group consisting of product samples, vouchers, and marketing aids.  
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein sequentially finishing the personalized sheets comprises: 
 (a) folding the personalized sheets to form a folded package; and    (b) sealing the folded package.    
   
   
       9 . The method of  claim 8  further comprising imaging personalized indicia on an outer surface of the folded package.  
   
   
       10 . The method of  claim 1  wherein selectively ejecting predetermined stock sheets comprises: 
 (a) providing a multi-bin collator, wherein each bin contains stock sheets having predetermined indicia thereon; and    (b) activating selected bins in response to control signals from a control system and feeding the stock sheets from the selected bins onto a conveyance device,    wherein the conveyance device sequentially delivers the stock sheets to the imaging system.    
   
   
       11 . The method of  claim 10  further comprising scanning the package for verification and aligning the package prior to imaging.  
   
   
       12 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein sequentially finishing the personalized sheets comprises inserting each of the personalized sheets into a package.  
   
   
       13 . A method for producing personalized printed material comprising: 
 (a) selectively gathering stock sheets and assembling the stock sheets into designated sets of sheets;    (b) sequentially processing the stock sheets in each designated set of sheets to image personalized information onto the stock sheets;    (c) re-gathering the stock sheets into the designated sets of sheets; and    (d) packaging the designated sets of sheets with additional items.    
   
   
       14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein packaging the designated sets of sheets with additional items comprises associating an object with the designated sheets.  
   
   
       15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein associating an object with the designated sheets comprises providing a package and inserting the object into the package.  
   
   
       16 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein associating an object with the package comprises attaching the object to the package.  
   
   
       17 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein associating an object with the package comprises attaching the object to the personalized sheet.  
   
   
       18 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein associating an object with the package comprises associating an object selected from the group consisting of product samples, vouchers, and marketing aids.  
   
   
       19 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein associating an object with the package comprises inserting a personalized sheet into a package.  
   
   
       20 . A method for producing personalized printed material comprising: 
 (a) selectively gathering stock sheets and assembling the stock sheets into designated sets of sheets;    (b) sequentially processing each stock sheet into a feeding system    (c) imaging personalized information onto the stock sheets;    (c) re-gathering the stock sheets into the designated sets of sheets; and    (d) presenting the designated sets of sheets for final processing.    
   
   
       21 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein sequentially processing each stock sheet into a feeding system comprises transporting the designated sets of sheets from a collator to the feeding system, and wherein the feeding system operates at a rate of about 1 to about 50 times faster than the transport rate of the collator.  
   
   
       22 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the feeding system comprises a re-feeder system.  
   
   
       23 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the feeding system comprises a rotary feed system.  
   
   
       24 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein selectively gathering stock sheets comprises: 
 (a) providing a multi-station collator; and    (b) activating selected bins in response to control signals from a control system.    
   
   
       25 . The method of  claim 24 , wherein imaging personalized information comprises transferring the stock sheets from the multi-station collator to an imaging system.  
   
   
       26 . The method of  claim 25 , wherein the designated sets of sheets have a varying number of stock sheets, and wherein the operating speeds of multi-station collator, the feeding system, and the imaging system are synchronized such that the stock sheets are processed at substantially constant throughput rate.  
   
   
       27 . A method for producing personalized imaged material comprising: 
 (a) selectively ejecting predetermined stock sheets from a plurality of sheet feeders to form a sequential order of stock sheets,    wherein each stock sheet contains specified indicia thereon;    (b) sequentially processing the stock sheets to image personalized information onto the stock sheets to form personalized sheets; and    (c) associating an additional item with each personalized sheet,    wherein a feature of the additional item is related to one or both of the specified indicia or the personalized information.    
   
   
       28 . The method of  claim 27  further comprising: 
 (a) folding the personalized sheets to form a folded package containing the additional item;    (b) sealing the folded package; and    (c) imaging personalized indicia on an outer surface of the folded package.    
   
   
       29 . The method of  claim 27  further comprising: 
 (a) imaging personalized indicia on an inner surface of the personalized sheets;    (b) folding the personalized sheets to form a folded package containing the additional item; and    (b) sealing the folded package.    
   
   
       30 . The method of  claim 27  wherein selectively ejecting predetermined stock sheets comprises: 
 (a) providing a multi-bin collator, wherein each bin contains stock sheets; and    (b) activating selected bins in response to control signals from a control system and feeding the stock sheets from the selected bins onto a conveyance device,    wherein the conveyance device delivers the stock sheets to the imaging system in the sequential order.    
   
   
       31 . A method for producing personalized imaged material comprising: 
 (a) providing a multi-bin collator, wherein each bin contains stock sheets having predetermined indicia thereon;    (b) activating selected bins in response to control signals from a control system and feeding one or more stock sheets from the selected bins onto a conveyance device;    (c) sequentially processing the stock sheets to image personalized information onto the stock sheets to form personalized sheets; and    (d) sequentially finishing the personalized sheets.    
   
   
       32 . The method of  claim 31 , wherein the stock sheets comprise sheets having predetermined indicia selected from the group consisting of marketing information, advertising information, invoice information, and event information.  
   
   
       33 . The method of  claim 31 , wherein the stock sheets comprise sheets having advertising information thereon, and wherein personalized information comprises coupon information.  
   
   
       34 . The method of  claim 31 , wherein the stock sheets comprise sheets having invoice information thereon, and wherein personalized information comprises usage and billing amounts.  
   
   
       35 . The method of  claim 31 , wherein the stock sheets comprise sheets having event information thereon, and wherein personalized information comprises seating and ticket price information.