FR2804230A1 - Method for performing merging electronic document for printing services of for displaying using client-server architecture by setting in user terminal insertion of graphic elements and presentation information - Google Patents

Abstract

Every document stored in a user database (2b) is handled by a document handling program (19) for realizing a printed service, ordered by user terminal (11) instructing insertion of graphic elements and presentation information introduced by the user. Such document may be a document printed on a printer or can be displayed on a screen.

Description

The present invention relates to a method for the production and electronic distribution of printed matter.

It applies in particular, but not exclusively, to the production and filling of forms, as well as to their distribution by a computer network, such as the Internet network or a private network, for example of the Intranet type.

It turns out that the provision of printed matter within companies or administrations is a complex process, involving a stage of graphic design of the document, a stage of production consisting in printing the document in a sufficient number of copies, and a step of actual dissemination of the document.

In this process, the modification of a printout implies the destruction of the stocks of printed materials that have become obsolete.In addition, the use of such printouts implies a verification of the information that has been written on the printout and, in most cases, computer capture of this information.

In an attempt to overcome these drawbacks, forms have already been proposed accessible by means of a computer connected to a computer network, such as the Internet. If this solution avoids the entry by the recipient of the form of the information provided by the person who filled out the form, it allows only limited processing, in particular verification, on the information entered, and involves significant IT resources on the side of the system giving access to the forms, to allow a sufficient number of users to access this form simultaneously.

Other solutions have the drawback of requiring the prior installation of specific software on the computers of the users.

 In general, in all the solutions mentioned above, the possibilities offered in terms of presentation in order to produce a printed document are very limited. In addition, the presentation of the document, in particular its number of pages, is completely frozen and cannot depend, for example, on the information entered by the user.

The present invention aims to eliminate these drawbacks. To this end, it provides a method for electronic distribution and processing of printed forms, involving a central computer connected to a data transmission network, and a storage unit in which is stored a plurality of printed forms in the form of documents, the central computer giving access to the documents of the storage unit to a plurality of user computers connected to the network, the method comprising the transmission from the central computer to the computer of a user of a document previously selected by the user, and the input by the user on his computer of the information necessary to prepare the document.

According to the invention, this method is characterized in that each document stored in the storage unit comprises a program executable by the computers of the users comprising instructions for inserting graphic elements and for presenting information, and instructions for processing and inserting information prepared from information previously entered by the user, with a view to producing a printed document which can be displayed on a screen, and printed on a printer.

 Thanks to these provisions, it is no longer necessary to print and store large quantities of printed matter. The problem of dissemination and access to such printed matter is eliminated. In addition, it is no longer necessary to provide for subsequent operations for verifying the information supplied by the users of these forms, and for entering this information for processing. Once the document has been printed by a printer connected to the computer, the user can send the document by mail to the recipient of the latter. In addition, most of the processing to be performed on the document is carried out by the user's computer. It is therefore not necessary to provide a very powerful central computer.

 Advantageously, the method according to the invention comprises the transmission to the central computer of the information entered by the user and of information identifying the document. In this way, it is no longer necessary to provide for a new computer capture of the information supplied by the users.

According to a feature of the invention, the information inserted in the printed document is also developed from information provided by the central computer.

According to another feature of the invention, each document comprises a form comprising a plurality of fields into which the user can insert information, each field being associated with help information explaining how the user must fill in the field, and possibly to constraints that must be verified by the information entered by the user in this field.

According to another feature of the invention, each document includes information defining the processing to be carried out on the document once a user has entered and validated the information that he has entered for this document.

The processing information may consist of a list of addresses of recipients of the printed document, which can for example define a life cycle of the printed document, comprising instructions for transmitting, for information or validation, the document to predefined recipients. or designated in the information entered by the user, the central computer then managing acknowledgments of receipt and validation and rejection orders issued in response by the recipients of the document.

A validation order can then be followed by the insertion into a database of the information provided in the printed form by the user. According to a feature of the invention, the program for producing a printed document is written in a command language compatible with standard Internet navigation software, so that the execution of such a program does not require installation. specific software on users' computers.

An embodiment of the method according to the invention will be described below, by way of nonlimiting example, with reference to the appended drawings in which FIG. 1 very schematically represents the central computer and the computer of a user, implemented by the method according to the invention, these two computers being interconnected by a data transmission network; FIG. 2 schematically shows the various programs which are executed on the central computer and the computer of a user, for the implementation of the method according to the invention; Figures 3 to 6 show in the form of flowcharts the different processing steps of the method according to the invention; FIG. 7 shows a form displayed on the screen of a user's computer for entering the information necessary for preparing the printed document.

FIG. 1 represents a computer 1, for example connected to a display screen 4 and a control member such as a keyboard 3. This computer is designed to play the role of central computer according to the invention. To this end, it is permanently connected to a digital data transmission network 10 which can be the Internet network or a private network, for example a local area network. The network 10 allows a plurality of users equipped with a computer (such as 11 in FIG. 1) to access the services offered by the central computer. The computers are temporarily or permanently connected to the network 10, either directly or indirectly via another network such as a public telephone network and another computer (not shown), commonly called "supplier of 'access". The computer 11 of a user is for example of the microcomputer type connected to a display screen 13, a control member 12, a printer 14 and possibly a modem 15 making it possible, for example, to perform the function of fax machine and access network 10.

According to the invention, the computer 1 is in particular designed to offer an online form filling service. To this end, users can access the computer 1, using suitable document viewing software, installed on their respective computer 11. One can for example choose to use a software of "Internet navigation" allowing to consult files of type HTML (HyperText Markup Language).

In FIG. 2, the central computer 1 executes a program called "server" 6 which manages the requests sent by the users via the network 10, while the computer 11 of a user executes Internet browsing software 16, for example designed to display files in HTML language sent by the server 6. The execution of the navigation software makes it possible to read and execute an HTML form for entering information transmitted by the server 6. At the end of the entry by the user of the information required by the form 17, the navigation software 16 executes a call file 18 transmitted by the server 6 and containing the parameters entered in the form by the user and the reference of the corresponding printed document. The execution of this call file 18 triggers the download by the server of a program 19 executable by the software 16 allowing the corresponding printed document to be produced. This program 19 consists of a generic part called sequencer 19a, and a specific part, called document program 19b.

The flowchart shown in FIG. 3a shows an example of a program implementing the method according to the invention, this program being executed on the computer 11 of a user by the navigation software 16.

This program 16 starts when a user connects to the computer 1, via the network 10. It can first of all comprise a step 20 of reception and display by the navigation software 16 of a menu of selection of documents made available by the server 6. Following the selection by the user of a form in step 21, the server 6 searches, for example in a database of documents 2b, for the files corresponding to the selected document, and transmits in response a form 17 allowing the input of the information to be introduced into the selected document, this form being for example in the form of an HTML file. In step 22, the navigation software 16 activated on the computer 11 receives and displays the form 17 received.

During step 22, this file is transmitted by the computer 1. When it is received, the consultation software detects that it is an HTML file and displays it on the screen 13 of the user, in a manner as shown in FIG. 7. In this figure, the form 17 contained in this file comprises for example an input field 41a to 41g per field to be completed in the selected printout. This form also includes command buttons 42 to 46 that the user can actuate to trigger a respective predetermined action. In general, these command buttons include a button 43 for displaying respective contextual help for each input field, a preview command button 44 for displaying the document in the form and presentation on the screen. of the printed document, and a command button 46 to validate the information entered by the user in the form.

The input fields can be free like 41b to 41d, or be in the form of check boxes 41e, or even be associated with a limited list of possible choices, which can be displayed by means of a command button 42 located for example at the right end of the frame delimiting the field. Pressing this button 42 triggers a drop-down menu 47 which can be scrolled down or up using buttons 48, 49.

In addition, each input field can be associated in the file containing the form 17, with input constraints, in particular in terms of type, format and size, which the character strings entered by the user must satisfy for this field. These constraints can relate to the length of the character string to be introduced or the type of character string, for example, numeric, alphanumeric, date, currency, ...

The verification that these constraints are satisfied by the information entered is carried out when the user validates the entry by activating the button 46 provided for this purpose.

According to the action of the user in the form displayed on the screen (step 23), the computer 11 displays (step 24) the information intended to help the user in entering a particular field corresponding to the button. help 43 activated, call a generic sequencing program 19a to format and display the document as it will appear printed on one or more sheets of paper, after pressing button 44 (step 25), and valid the information entered following the actuation of the button 46 (step 27).

Alternatively, the information entered in each field can be checked at each field change.

The display of the help information can be carried out in another window activated by the Internet navigation software 16, or carried out as a replacement for the display of the form 17. In the latter case, it is possible to provide a command button that the user can press to return to the form display.

 Pressing the button 44 allows the user to display, possibly in a new window, a printed document whose fields are blank (step 25).

When the printed document is displayed, the user can print it or send it by fax, by pressing a print command button in the active window, provided for this purpose in the browser 16 (step 26).

 The actuation of the button 46 triggers a first verification operation of the information entered, by the browser 16 using the verification information appearing in the form 17.

If errors are detected in the information inserted in the document (step 28), an error message is displayed on the screen 13 (step 30). Otherwise, the display of the printed document is updated by calling the sequencer 19a in step 29, which inserts into the printed document displayed on the screen 13 the information entered and validated by the user, and triggers the treatments to be performed on this document.

At the end of the context-sensitive help display (step 24), display of the printed document (step 25), printing (step 26) display of an error message (step 30) and processing the printed document (step 29), the navigation software waits for user action (step 23).

In FIG. 3b, steps 25 and 29 which are executed when the user actuates the button 44 or 46, are broken down into - a step 31 of opening a new browser window 16, - a step 32 of requesting d a call file 18 containing the parameters to be passed to the document program 19b, a step 33 for receiving and executing the call file, a step 34 for requesting the server and receiving the sequencer 19a and the program document 19b, and - a step 35 of calling the sequencer 19a.

The call file 18 contains the reference of the printed document to be produced, and only after step 29, the information entered by the user. In this way, the information entered by the user is only entered into the printed document when it has been verified.

The call file 18 can also contain, in addition to or instead of the information entered by the user in the form 17, other information provided by the server 6. Thus, for example, from the entry of a code identification of a user, the server can return in the call file the name and address of the user it finds in a database 2a according to the identification code.

The sequencing program 19a is for example in the form of what is called an "applet" written in JAVA language. In FIG. 4, this program comprises a first step 52 during which it executes the document program 19b, containing the graphic definition of the document, passing it all the parameters supplied by the call file 18. This program 19b can also be written in JAVA language or in a language understandable by the sequencer 19a.

In FIG. 5, this specific program 19b processes the information passed as parameters by the sequencer 19a and optionally checks it, with a view to developing the information to be displayed in fields provided in this graphic definition (step 61). Then, it performs the insertion of the graphic elements and the formatting of the printed document (step 62), and if no error is detected, it fills in the fields provided for in the printed document with the information that it developed from the parameters received (step 63).

It should be noted that the verifications carried out by the program 19b may be of a higher level and relate not to the form of the information entered, as in step 27, but to the content of this information. To this end, the program 19b can call on the server 6 which can, for example, access a database of users 2a.

The document which is produced by the program 19b can contain several pages, this number of pages being able to vary according to the information entered by the user. In this case, the program 19b contains instructions for layout and dynamic creation of the pages necessary for the display of all the information to be inserted in the printed form.

When the printed document comprises several pages, the sequencing program 19a makes available to the user commands making it possible to select the page to be displayed in the display window of the printed document on the screen 13. These commands can appear in a different window displayed by the sequencer 19a with possibly a command to send the document to the computer 1.

According to the action of the user in this command window, the sequencer 19a displays the page indicated by the user (steps 54, 55) or checks the information entered by the user, before sending it to the computer 1 ( steps 56 to 59). Thus, in step 56, the sequencer verifies the control information returned by the program 19b. If this information signals errors (step 57), it displays it in step 59.

Once the printed document is displayed in a different window, the user can trigger the printing (step 26) of the document when this window is active by actuating a print command offered by the navigation software 16.

In a more elaborate version of the method according to the invention, the validation of the information entered by the button 46 also triggers the transmission of this information to the server 6 of the central computer 1 (step 58), in association with the reference of the document which was selected during step 21. When received, the server 6 can store this information, for example in a user database 2a. Thus, in FIG. 6, the server program 6 can include a step 71 of receiving a document reference and information entered by the user, a step 72 of processing this information, which can consist of storing the data received in the database 2a, call the program 19b to produce the printed document, this printed document then being stored in a memory accessible by recipients of the printed document.

 In an even more elaborate variant of the invention, each document can also be associated with a file containing parameters and commands defining the life cycle of the document. In this case, the server 6 performs a step 73 of managing the transitions between the different stages of this life cycle. The processing operations provided for in step 73 consist notably in identifying the recipient (s) of the document, which could have been entered by the user himself, when entering the information to be entered in the document, in sending a message to this or these recipients to warn them that a document located at a specific location is intended for them, and possibly wait for messages of acknowledgment of receipt, validation or rejection, sent by these recipients, within specified times.

It is also possible to provide additional processing if these times are exceeded, and to send messages to other recipients when the expected acknowledgment or validation message (s) are received by the server 9.

It can also be provided that the storage of the information entered by the user can only be carried out after receipt of a validation message from a determined recipient.

Ultimately, each document according to the invention consists of a program 19b executable by the navigation software 16, designed to produce the document itself, in the graphic form as it is to be printed, and possibly, a file 17 for example of the HTML type containing a form for entering the information to be inserted into the selected document and a set of instructions for defining the life cycle and processing the document.

It should be noted that the form 17 file is not necessary, the information to be inserted in the document can come from other sources such as the server, or be entered by the user in another way than through '' a single form.

Thus, the method according to the invention applies very particularly to the establishment of an order form for a list of products ordered by the Internal network. In this application, after entering his identification, a user accesses a list of products in which each product is associated with a command button, allowing the user to introduce this product into a list of products he wishes to acquire . From this list passed in parameters and identification information of the user, the program 19b associated with the document builds the order form, by introducing the price of the ordered products which can be requested from the server 6 or which already appear in the list of products created by the user. During the construction of this order form, the program 19b is designed to calculate the total sum of the prices of the products ordered. In addition, if the number of types of products ordered is greater than the number of types of products that can contain a page of the order form, it generates as many pages of order form as necessary, and determines for each page the total amount of products appearing on the page, this amount being inserted at the bottom of the page and carried over to the next page. Finally, he determines the total amount of products ordered which he enters in the space provided for this purpose, for example at the start and / or at the end of the order form.

The program 19b can also ask the server 6 for more detailed information from information entered by the user. Thus, for example, from a user code, it can ask the server 6 for the corresponding name and address found in the database 2a.

Claims (10)

1. Method for electronic distribution and processing of printed forms, involving a central computer (1) connected to a data transmission network (10), and a storage unit (2, 2b) in which a plurality is stored of forms printed in the form of documents, the central computer giving access to the documents of the storage unit to a plurality of computers (11) of users connected to the network, the method comprising the transmission (22) of the central computer to the computer of a user of a document previously selected by the user, and the introduction by the user on his computer (11) of the information necessary for the production of the document, characterized in that each document stored in the unit storage (2, 2b) comprises a program (19) for defining and producing a printed form, executable by the computers (11) of the users urs, comprising instructions for inserting graphical elements and presenting information, and instructions for processing and inserting information developed from information previously entered by the user, with a view to producing a printed document which can be displayed on a screen, and printed on a printer. 2. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that it further comprises the transmission (58) to the central computer (1) of information entered by the user and information identifying the document. 3. Method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the information inserted in the printed document is also developed from information provided by the central computer (1). 4. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that each document further comprises a form (17) comprising a plurality of fields (41a to 41g) allowing the user to enter the information necessary for carrying out the document, each field being associated with help information explaining how the user must fill in the field, and possibly with constraints which must be verified by the information inserted by the user in this field. 5. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that each document includes information defining the treatments to be carried out on the document once it has been produced and validated by the user, these treatments being carried out by the central computer (1). 6. Method according to claim 5, characterized in that the information defining processing operations can consist of instructions defining the life cycle of the document in the form of a sequence of steps, the central computer (1) ensuring the management of transitions between the stages of this life cycle. 7. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises the insertion into a storage unit (2a) of information supplied by the user for the printed document. 8. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the program (19) for producing a printed form comprises instructions for verifying the content of the information entered by the user. 9. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the production program (19) of a printed form includes instructions for layout and dynamic creation of the pages necessary for the display of all the information to insert in the printed form. 10. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the program (19) for producing a printed document is written in a command language compatible with standard Internet navigation software, so that the execution d 'such a program does not require the installation of any special software on the computers (11) of the users.