Imposition process and apparatus for variable imaging system

Abstract

The present invention is useful for assembling a book. The inventive method includes the steps of specifying pagination information including an indication of whether a page is to be selectively included in the book, determining whether the page is to be assembled into the book based on the pagination information, and generating page description language instructions for production of the book in accordance with the pagination information.

1 - 13 . (canceled)  
   
   
       14 . An apparatus for preparing press commands for a raster image processor (RIP) from template data, the template data having reusable data to be printed on more than one output page and position data representing a position on a page at which variable information is to be printed, wherein the apparatus includes a computer readable medium having stored thereon a program executable by a computer comprising: 
 a first routine that identifies the reusable data in the template data;    a second routine that reads entries from a database, wherein each entry represents variable information to be printed on output pages; and    a third routine that prepares the press commands in preparation for rasterization from the identified reusable data, the position data, and the database entries.    
   
   
       15 . The apparatus of  claim 14 , including a fourth routine that converts the template data and the database into press commands specifying sequence and content of page production.  
   
   
       16 . The apparatus of  claim 14 , including a fourth routine further generates a reusable data set representing the identified reusable data from the template data.  
   
   
       17 . The apparatus of  claim 16 , wherein the fourth routine still further generates a variable data set representing the variable information from the template data.  
   
   
       18 . The apparatus of  claim 14 , wherein an electronic press is coupled to the apparatus and wherein the database includes control information for controlling the electronic press.  
   
   
       19 . The apparatus of  claim 14 , wherein an auxiliary production device is coupled to the apparatus and wherein the database includes control information for controlling the auxiliary production device.