Apparatus, system, and method for printing on variable form media

Abstract

An apparatus, system, and process for printing on variable form media are provided. Variable form media has a variety of physical configurations. Each physical configuration may have a unique print target for receiving printing. The apparatus, system, and process include a computer configured to receive text information. The computer organizes the text information as relocatable print data. The relocatable print data may be printed at one or more print targets on one or more variable form medias. Each print target has a distinct position, orientation, and dimensions. The computer further calculates spatial print data directed to a specific variable form media from the relocatable print data. The spatial print data specifies the position, orientation, and dimension of the relocatable print data. The apparatus, system, and process print the spatial print data on the variable form media. In addition, the apparatus, system, and process may render the spatial print data and the variable form media on a display.

1 . An apparatus for printing upon variable form media, the apparatus comprising: 
 a print interface module configured to receive relocatable print data;    a print processor module configured to calculate spatial print data directed to a physical configuration of a variable form media from the relocatable print data; and    a print engine configured to print the spatial print data upon the variable form media.    
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein calculating the spatial print data comprises calculating the position, orientation, and dimensions of the relocatable print data.  
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising a paper feed module configured to communicate the physical configuration of the variable form media to the print processor.  
     
     
         4 . A data processing device for creating relocatable print data for a variable form media, the device comprising: 
 an I/O module configured to receive text information directed to a variable form media; and    an processor module configured to organize the text information as a relocatable print data.    
     
     
         5 . The data processing device of  claim 4 , wherein the relocatable print data describes the text information independent of the position, orientation, and dimensions of the text information.  
     
     
         6 . A data processing device for rendering relocatable print data on a variable form media, the device comprising: 
 a processor module configured to calculate spatial print data directed to a physical configuration of a variable form media from relocatable print data; and    an interface module configured to communicate the spatial print data to a rendering device.    
     
     
         7 . The data processing device of  claim 6 , wherein calculating the spatial print data comprises calculating the position, orientation, and dimensions of the relocatable print data.  
     
     
         8 . A system for printing variable form media, the system comprising: 
 a computer configured to calculate spatial print data directed to the physical configuration of a variable form media from relocatable print data;    a network configured to communicate the spatial print data; and    a printer configured to print the spatial print data on the variable form media.    
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein calculating the spatial print data comprises calculating the position, orientation, and dimensions of the relocatable print data.  
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein the computer is configured to receive text information direct to a variable form media, the computer further configured to organize relocatable print data from the text information, the relocatable print data describing the text information independent of position, orientation, and dimension of the variable form media.  
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein the variable form media is specified by a user.  
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein computer directs the spatial print data to the variable form media selected from a set of variable form media specified by the relocatable print data.  
     
     
         13 . A process for creating relocatable print data, the process comprising: 
 receiving text information directed to a variable form media;    organizing the text information as relocatable print data; and    appending the relocatable print data to a document.    
     
     
         14 . The process of  claim 13 , wherein the relocatable print data describes the text information independent of the position, orientation, and dimensions of the text information.  
     
     
         15 . The process of  claim 13 , wherein the relocatable print data is appended to the document as a job ticket.  
     
     
         16 . A process for printing to a variable form media, the process comprising 
 receiving relocatable print data;    calculating spatial print data directed to a variable form media from the relocatable print data; and    rendering the spatial print data.    
     
     
         17 . The process of  claim 16 , wherein calculating the spatial print data comprises specifying the position, orientation, and dimensions of the relocatable print data.  
     
     
         18 . The process of  claim 16 , wherein the relocatable print data is included in a job ticket.  
     
     
         19 . The process of  claim 16 , wherein the variable form media is selected from a set of variable form media specified by the relocatable print data.  
     
     
         20 . The process of  claim 16 , wherein the variable form media is printed out of the specified order of the set of variable form media.  
     
     
         21 . A computer readable storage medium comprising computer readable code configured to carry out a process for creating relocatable print data, the process comprising: 
 receiving text information directed to a variable form media;    organizing the text information as relocatable print data; and    appending the relocatable print data to a document.    
     
     
         22 . The computer readable storage medium of  claim 21 , further comprising computer readable code configured to organization the relocatable print data as the text information independent of position, orientation, and dimensions.  
     
     
         23 . The computer readable storage medium of  claim 21 , further comprising computer readable code configured to determine the physical configuration of the variable form media from an identification code.  
     
     
         24 . The computer readable storage medium of  claim 21 , further comprising computer readable code configured to determine the physical configuration of the variable form media from a printer.  
     
     
         25 . A computer readable storage medium comprising computer readable code configured to carry out a process for printing to a variable form media, the process comprising: 
 receiving relocatable print data;    calculating spatial print data directed to a variable form media from the relocatable print data; and    rendering the spatial print data.    
     
     
         26 . The computer readable storage medium of  claim 25 , further comprising computer readable code configured to calculate the spatial print data as the relocatable print data directed to the position, orientation, and dimensions of a print target of the variable form media.  
     
     
         27 . The computer readable storage medium of  claim 25 , further comprising computer readable code configured to render the spatial print data with a display.  
     
     
         28 . The computer readable storage medium of  claim 25 , further comprising computer readable code configured to render the spatial print data as a web page.  
     
     
         29 . The computer readable storage medium of  claim 25 , further comprising computer readable code configured to render the spatial print data as a file.  
     
     
         30 . An apparatus for print to variable form media, the apparatus comprising: 
 means for receiving relocatable print data;    means for calculating spatial print data directed to a variable form media from the relocatable print data; and    means for rendering the spatial print data on the variable form media.