EP1634229A2

EP1634229A2 - Method and system for ordering and performing printing services and postal services

Info

Publication number: EP1634229A2
Application number: EP04730195A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Jürgen Hofmann; Joachim Rick
Original assignee: Deutsche Post AG
Current assignee: Deutsche Post AG
Priority date: 2003-05-28
Filing date: 2004-04-29
Publication date: 2006-03-15
Also published as: AU2004245156A1; DE10324539A1; US20070061224A1; RU2005137401A; WO2004108429A3; WO2004108429A2; CN1795460A

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for the automated ordering and performance of printing services and postal services within a mailing service system (10), in which the order data for a postal article (40) to be printed and sent are generated on an order component. The inventive method is characterized in that the order data are generated by a order component, whereby the order data at least consist of an image motif and delivery information. The order data are transmitted to a database (31) via an interface (30) and are transmitted to a processing component (70) in order to process the order data into a print job. The generated print job is transferred to a printing production (50) that creates a postal article (40) therefrom. The postal article (40) is then transferred to a distribution system (90), and the printing service and the postal service are billed by an invoicing component (91). The invention also relates to a system for carrying out the method.

Description

Procedure and system for the commissioning and implementation of printing and postal services

Description:

The invention relates to a method for the automated commissioning and implementation of printing services and postal services within a shipping service system, in which the order data for a mail item to be printed and sent are generated on an order component.

The invention further relates to a system for carrying out a method for the automated commissioning and implementation of printing services and postal services within a shipping service system.

So-called hybrid mail services are increasingly occurring within known systems for printing services in combination with postal services (shipping service systems). Providers of such services enable the users of an associated system to submit electronic data for postal products such as letters, postcards, mailings, etc., whereupon this data is processed and, if necessary, provided with additional value-added services, into which physical end products are converted. The addressed products are then sent to a logistics process for distribution.

The addressed items can be, for example, classic forms of letters, postcards or electronic messages in the form of emails. Such programs are used in high volume, in particular for advertising and / or information campaigns. For example, extensive mailing campaigns are used to make new companies known to certain population groups and to send information brochures or catalogs. In addition, information programs are sent out to a considerable extent on certain occasions such as special promotions and events. Mailing campaigns of various forms are also suitable for greeting card campaigns for holidays such as Christmas.

Typically, however, for a user of a hybrid mailing system, participation in the service is associated with many restrictions and obstacles. For example, he is given minimum delivery quantities, since otherwise the production is not economical for the service provider. The billing of the respective service is also uneconomical for the provider without stipulating minimum delivery quantities. Furthermore, a special tool of the user must conventionally be used for the creation of the electronic data. This is often special software that has to be installed in the customer's environment in order to prepare the customer's data so that it can be processed in a print job to the provider. The use of converters in the area of the provider is also known, in order to be able to prepare transmitted customer data in a manner suitable for production.

However, the creation of an order for printing and sending a single mailpiece, the design of which can be selected by the user, is not possible with such systems. There is therefore a need for a method and a system that enables a user to use one

To commission service providers, for example, with the personalized printing of a single postcard and the subsequent sending of the postcard.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a method to provide for the commissioning and implementation of printing services and postal services within a system in which a user can generate an order for a single item of mail to be sent with little effort on an order component of the system, the design of the item of mail being left to a high degree free by the user is selectable.

Another object of the invention is to provide a system for carrying out such a method for the commissioning and implementation of individual printing services and postal services.

This object is achieved according to the invention by a method for the automated commissioning and implementation of printing services and postal services within a shipping service system, in which the order data for a mail item to be printed and sent is generated on an order component, the method being characterized by the following steps :

- Generation of order data by an order component, the order data consisting of at least one image motif and delivery information;

Transmission of the order data via an interface to a database,

- preparation of the order data for a print order in a preparation component connected to the database,

- transmission of the print job to a print production, - Creation of a mail item in print production,

- Delivery of the mail item to a distribution system, and

- Billing of printing and postal services via an invoice component.

In a particularly preferred exemplary embodiment of the invention, the postal item to be printed and sent is a postcard, which typically comprises a motif page and a text page with greeting text, possibly advertising and delivery information. Other cards such as greeting cards or folding cards can also be generated. The order component used can be various means. For example, it is advantageous to generate an order for a mail item to be printed and sent via applications of a website with an associated server. A website or webpage is an HTML file published on the World Wide Web. The website and the server can belong to a fixed shipping service system or to payers who can flexibly participate in the shipping service system. In this context, payers are to be understood as users of the shipping service system which enable other users to generate and send mail items, the costs for the services rendered being borne in part or in full by the payer. These payers preferably register with the shipping service system, so that sponsored events with certain properties such as the duration or the number of sponsored mail items are generated.

A fixed shipping service system for ordering and performing printing services and postal services can be operated by a postal company, for example which and to automate the processes have different components. In addition to an order component in the form of a website and an associated server, at least one database, a processing component connected to this database for processing data into print jobs and suitable interfaces for transmitting the data are useful. Print production for the generation of mail items and an invoice component for the billing of print services and postal services performed are also required. These components can be permanently integrated into the shipping service system, or, as is advantageous for print production, for example, be outsourced from the system. For example, various print service providers can be connected to the mail service system of a postal company, resulting in a high degree of modularity and thus great flexibility. The ability to print batch size one jobs is particularly related to the existence of a print production facility that is able to consolidate the jobs into larger jobs.

In a particularly preferred exemplary embodiment of the invention, an invoice component bills the printing service and the postal service for a mail item to be sent via the shipping service system in full or in part to the user who generated the order. This variant corresponds to the usual payment for a service used by a client. However, it has proven to be advantageous to also enable other billing variants. For example, it can be advantageous for user groups of a system to offer their customers the free or inexpensive sending of mail as a promotion. With such a sponsorship, a customer can select and send a postcard, for example, with the resulting costs be partially or fully invoiced to the respective payer. The invoice component bills the printing service and the postal service completely or partially for a user (payer) who did not generate the order. In a particularly preferred exemplary embodiment of the invention, the services are billed before the mail item is printed and sent.

In addition to generating orders for mail items to be printed and sent via a website in conjunction with an associated server, it has furthermore proven to be advantageous that a user can generate an order via a mobile terminal and the data for an order of an interface of the shipping service System are transmitted. In order to provide data that this interface can process, it can be expedient for the data transmitted by the mobile terminal to be converted, for example in a second intermediate interface, into a format which is used by the shipping service system or by the database and the associated interface is processable.

The generation of an order for a mail item such as a postcard at least includes the specification of delivery information and the selection of a motif for the one to be printed

Postcard. Furthermore, a greeting text is typically provided by the user. The card motif can be selected by the user from a predefined collection or generated and provided by the user. Selectable motifs can be specified, for example, by the shipping service system or a payer. It is particularly advantageous for the payer that he can integrate desired properties such as advertising messages into the motifs. In particular in an embodiment in which an order is generated on a mobile terminal such as a mobile phone, it is advantageous for a user that he can generate current images / photos with a function of the mobile phone and send them in the form of a postcard.

If a user creates an order for a mail item to be printed and sent via a website in conjunction with an associated server, various sub-variants are possible, in particular when integrating payers. The selection of the motifs and the generation of the orders can, for example, be carried out entirely on the website of the shipping service system or entirely on a website of a payer, so that the payer only transmits orders to the shipping service system.

The representations for the payment of services by a payer are particularly preferred, but the invention is not restricted to use cases in which a payer appears. The invention enables flexible billing of services, so that the function of the payer can of course also be taken over by other payers of services. The invention uses simple billing of postal services and is therefore not restricted to individual use cases for settling the bills.

The invoices can be paid, for example, by transmitting a subscriber identification number and comparing it with a database containing the subscriber identification number and debiting a user account assigned to the number.

In this embodiment of the method, the system and the devices for implementing the invention, the subscriber identified in this way is the payer 60. However, it is likewise possible for the function of the payer 60 to be performed by a person Payer is taken over.

The invention further comprises a system for carrying out a method for automated commissioning and implementation of printing services and postal services, in which an order for a mail item to be printed and sent can be generated on an order component.

In a particularly preferred exemplary embodiment of the invention, the system comprises at least the following components:

an order component for generating order data, the data consisting of at least one image motif and delivery information,

Means for transmitting the order data from an order component via an interface to a database,

- a processing component in connection with the database for generating print jobs from the job data,

- a print production in connection with the database for generating the mail item,

- An invoice component in connection with the database for billing the printing service and the postal service.

Further advantages, special features and expedient developments of the invention result from the subclaims and the following description of preferred exemplary embodiments. play the invention with reference to drawings.

From the drawings shows

Fig. 1 is an illustration of a particularly preferred

Embodiment of the shipping service system according to the invention;

2 shows an illustration of a two-sided print version of a postcard generated with the method and system according to the invention; and

Fig. 3 shows the process flow when generating an order for a postcard via applications of a website.

1 shows a particularly preferred exemplary embodiment of the system according to the invention for the commissioning of printing services and postal services. In the illustration, a system 10 is delimited from other components by a dashed line in order to clarify which components are advantageous for operating such a system. However, various components can also be outsourced or additionally integrated. The system is referred to below as the shipping service system. The core of the shipping service system 10 is formed by a database 31, which is used for data storage and data retrieval and is connected to various components of the system. The entire data storage preferably takes place in a relational database. For example, an Oracle database has proven to be useful as a database. The database is connected via an interface 30 to at least one order component on which an order for a mail item to be printed and sent can be generated is. The database is also connected to a processing component 70 for generating print jobs and a print production 50, to which the generated print jobs for generating the mail items are transmitted. It has proven to be expedient to use a JDBC interface (Java Data Base Connectivity interface) as the interface 30. The system also includes an invoice component 91 for billing the printing service and the postal service provided by the system.

The illustrated order component 20 is a website 21 with an associated system-side server 22. Via applications on this website 21, a user can, for example, generate an order for a postcard to be sent, whereupon the order via the interface 30 of the database 31 and the these connected components is transmitted. However, the order component can also be a mobile terminal, as is shown as an example in FIG. 1 as a mobile phone 80. It is advantageous for the invention that users of the shipping service system 10 can also generate orders for printing services and postal services via such a mobile terminal. The user can be provided with postcard motifs for selection via the mobile phone. However, it is particularly advantageous if the user can select digital images generated by the mobile phone as motifs for a postcard.

If a user creates an order via a mobile terminal 80, this order is also transmitted via the interface 30 of the database 31. A second interface 81 can be provided between the interface 30 and the mobile terminal 80 for converting data and / or for additional applications. This is used, for example, to convert the data format and / or to check the address. The processing component 70 comprises at least two components, which are referred to here as back-end services 71 and 72. One of these components is used to create the image motif, while the other component generates preview and print data. The database is connected to at least one print production 50, to which the print jobs generated by the backend services are transmitted. Print production can be an integral part of the shipping service system or it can be modularly connected to the system. This can be, for example, one or more print service providers who print mail items on behalf of the system. Print production uses the received data to generate a mail item 40, which it then passes on to a distribution system 90. The distribution system can include various sorting and distribution means for delivering the mail item to a recipient on the basis of the delivery information specified by the user. In a preferred exemplary embodiment of the invention, there is a connection between the print production 50 and the invoice component 91, so that a message can be sent to the invoice component that the print component has been printed and / or sent.

In a particularly preferred exemplary embodiment, the system 10 comprises at least one further user of the system, who is referred to below as the payer 60. The payer is flexibly connected to the system and preferably has a website 61 with applications and an associated server 62.

In the method according to the invention, an order for a print service in connection with a postal service is generated via the order component. It is preferably an order to send a postcard. For this purpose, a user chooses a motif for printing the post card and provides delivery information for sending the card. The motif can be selected in different ways. On the one hand, the system provides the user with a selection of motifs to choose from. On the other hand, it can be advantageous for the user to be able to generate their own motif and transmit it to the system 10 together with delivery information.

In a particularly preferred exemplary embodiment of the invention, the illustrated order component 20 is a website 21 in connection with an associated server 22, which the user calls up, for example, on a computer. The connection between the user and the website 21 and thus the server 22 is preferably established via the Internet. The user uses a mobile terminal 80 to generate orders for printing services and postal services, which preferably enter the system as MMS messages (multimedia messaging service) via smtp or http.

In a particularly preferred exemplary embodiment of the invention, the orders for printing services and postal services are orders in which the user incurs little or no costs. The costs are borne by a payer 60. For example, a payer may want to make this sponsored service available to other users of the system for promotional purposes. Users can then visit a website and use it to send postcards for free or at a discount. The website can be the website 21 of the shipping service system or the website 61 of the payer. Sub-variants in which, for example, the payer provides special card motifs but the user pays the card price are also possible. If a payer 60 wishes the sponsored provision of card motifs via a payment method, in which a user can generate an order, but the costs for executing the order are billed to the payer, he registers a payer ringing action with the shipping service system, hereinafter referred to as Sponsored Event is called. Sponsored events represent payment actions with certain attributes such as start and end dates and maximum upper limits. Maximum upper limits can be supplemented by defining periods for which these upper limits apply. For example, an upper limit may be “500 cards per day” or may be defined as a global upper limit “1000 cards over the entire period”. The sponsored events are preferably stored in table form in the database 31 of the system. A sponsored event is always assigned to exactly one product and exactly one payer. It has proven to be advantageous that a payer can have any number of sponsored events.

The database 31 performs at least the following tasks within the system 10:

- central provision of data logic and

- central data storage.

All applications of the system expediently manage their data via this database. The term “application” is usually understood to mean any user programs or extensive software packages such as, for example, database applications. In addition to other objects, the database 31 manages central objects such as payers, event status and

Motives. Furthermore, all parameterization and control data of the applications, and in some cases even the application itself, can be managed via the database. The tables used are not only used to define tion and configuration of the sponsored event, but applications also write actively in this table. For example, the number of orders already sent or the amounts of money calculated can be increased in order to deactivate the event when the respective upper limits are reached.

In a particularly preferred embodiment of the invention, a table for sponsored events contains at least the following entries:

A standard API (Application Programming Interface: interface for application programs), which contains functions for adding, modifying, deleting and searching, has proven particularly useful for accessing such a table. In addition, it is advantageous if the API contains a function that determines whether a sponsored event is active, inactive, or temporarily inactive, or sets this status when upper limits, start of periods or end of periods have been reached.

The number of mail items sent and the amounts already booked for a sponsored event can be counted up, for example, using a trigger. The trigger increases the number of mailings sent, or the amount of an event, and then checks whether the upper limits are still undershot or reached. If a maximum upper limit is reached, the event is deactivated.

Different versions are possible for sponsored events. For all variants, the payer 60 must provide the shipping service system 10 with the desired card motifs. The system may specify certain requirements. It has proven to be expedient, the transmitted data format, the

Specify file size, the choice of color, the resolution and / or the final dimensions. For example, the card motif can be a TIFF file, in CMYK colors, with a resolution of at least 350 dpi (pixels / inch) and a final size of 15.25 cm x 10.90 cm (actual postcard format 14.85 cm x 10) , 5 cm + bleed). It may be necessary for the system 10 to prepare the motif for printing and to enter it in the system's own database. Raw data are entered into the system 10, for example, while fine data are entered into the print production 50. In a first embodiment variant, a user generates an order for a mail item to be printed and sent by entering the website 21 of the system 10. Sponsored and non-sponsored motifs may be offered on this website. The sponsored motifs are displayed in the motif selection like the non-sponsored, paid motifs. For sponsored motifs, a reference to the payer can be displayed in the form of a text or logo for advertising purposes. The user dials in

Motif and, together with delivery information, generates the order which is transmitted to the database 31 and the components connected to it.

This embodiment involves the least effort for the payer 60. He only has to provide the system 10 with the motif. The user can either enter the website 21 directly, or the payer establishes a link to the system website on his website 61 and the associated server 62. However, this allows

Embodiment no further integration of the payer in the system 10. In addition, every user of the system's website can see the sponsored motifs and send them free of charge. A restriction to users who have previously visited the payer's website is not possible.

In a second embodiment, a user selects the motif of the desired postcard in the payer's website 61 and sends the postcard via the system 10. The internal motif selection of the system 10 is in this case for the

User not accessible. This variant ensures that the user must have visited the payer's website in order to send a free postcard. The user is automatically linked to the applications of a shipping company's website by means of corresponding links on a payer's website. service system. The user uses these applications to create an order for a mail item to be printed and sent, and the server of the shipping service system transmits the data for an order to the database. For the payer, this form results in somewhat more effort. This is primarily related to the need to ensure that the user actually enters the system 10 from the payer's website. The automatic forwarding of the user from the website of the payer to the website of the shipping service system is preferably carried out via a mutual communication process between the server of the payer and the server of the shipping service system. In order to ensure that a user of the system 10 comes from the website of a payer 60, the following method has proven to be particularly advantageous:

The payer 60 calls up a special page of the website 21 via HTTPS (Hypertext Transfer Protocol, secure). This can be done, for example, via an ASP, CGI or a JSP program. The abbreviation ASP stands for "Active Server Pages". These are active Internet pages. These pages can contain scripts, for example, which are executed on a server before they appear in the browser. The designation CGI stands for "Common Gateway Interface "and is a data exchange interface between a web server and a client that is able to receive CGI-compliant data and, under certain circumstances, to process it further and send it back to the server. With the abbreviation JSP," Java Server Pages " designated. JSP pages are HTML files with specially marked embedded Java programs.

The special page of website 21 is protected to prevent third parties from using cards at the expense of the payer. Send. First, the server 62 of the payer 60 must identify itself to the system 10 by transferring a key that is unique to the sponsored event. The system communicates this identification (ID) in advance. On the other hand, an ACL (Access Control List) ensures that only authorized IP addresses of different payers are allowed to access. Only computers in a network defined in this list may access certain services of the network. The payer must provide his IP address in advance. The system 10 then unlocks them. Even higher security can be achieved by using client certificates.

In response to the call, the system returns a session ID. This session ID is the key for the user to send a free postcard. The program on the web server 62 of the payer 60 evaluates the return and forwards the user to the website 21 of the system. This can expediently be done via a link or redirect. The filling out and sending of a desired card takes place via various pages of the website of the system 10, as have already been described. If the check shows that a user has not accessed the website of the shipping service system via the website of the payer, an order cannot be generated. The main effort for this embodiment is the implementation of the protocol for the requests for a session ID.

In a further exemplary embodiment of the invention, it is possible to individually adapt the pages of the shipping service system 10 required for filling out and sending the card to the website 61 of a payer 60 and to integrate them optically into the appearance of the payer. Here too, a session ID is requested first and the user is then directed to the website 20 of the system 10. The Postcards are still filled out and sent via system 10, but the design of the surface can be changed almost as desired. Instead of the individual default pages of the system, individually customized pages of the payer are displayed. Except for the sequence of the pages and the parameters to be passed on the individual pages, the design of the pages is almost unlimited.

This complete integration into the payer's website requires the greatest effort. Different HTML pages have to be created, checked and integrated into the system. To do this, the pages must be transferred to the system 10. There they are preferably tested and integrated.

For example, if the payer would like to use their own editors or create cards automatically, in a further embodiment of the invention he can also deliver the orders directly on the server side without any user interaction. The payer 60 does not use the pages of the system 10, but creates the necessary data himself and then delivers it to the server 22 of the system 10 on the server side, which receives the data and books the cards. The order for a mail item to be printed and sent is accordingly generated on a payer's website, and the associated server transmits the data for the order directly to the server of the shipping service system, which transmits the data to the database.

The recording of the postcard data and the delivery of the data to the system can also be carried out completely asynchronously.

The payer 60 can, for example, collect the card data in a database and deliver it to the system once a day. If a payer uses direct delivery, he does not need a session ID, but can deliver directly in a single call. In addition to the card data, he also transfers a payer key with which he is identified in the shipping service system 10 and with which the sponsored event to be used can be determined. For reasons of backward compatibility, it has proven to be advantageous that with this direct delivery, instead of a payer key, a sponsored SessionID is also accepted, which was previously requested. Access to direct delivery is preferably also protected via web server ACLs to prevent unauthorized mailing of cards at the expense of the payer. Even higher security can be achieved by using client certificates. It has also been found useful to provide the caller with a method to check whether his order has been properly accepted.

In a further embodiment of the invention, the payer does not specify a selection of own motifs which a user can send free of charge or at a reduced price, but the user can generate his own motif and send it paid for by the payer.

3 shows, by way of example, the process sequence when generating an order for a postcard to be printed and sent via applications on a website. The process starts on a start page for which a layout template has been created. The layout template for the start page and further pages can be determined by the shipping service system 10 or, for example, freely designed by a payer. When the website 21 of the shipping service system is called up via a payer, the standard pages of the shipping service system are not displayed, but the pages created by the payer. On the start page, a list of the names of all active categories of motifs is shown in a predefined order. If the user moves the mouse pointer over a category, the zoom image of this category is displayed to the left of the category list (CategoriesList). Initially, the zoom picture of the first category is preferably displayed according to the sorting. If the user clicks on a category from the list, an overview page for the category is opened. There can also be a link on the start page that leads the user to the branch of the application in which he can upload his own motif. The page that then appears is labeled “Upload” in FIG. 3. At this point, a motif API for reading out the category information has proven to be useful.

The "CategoriesList" page shows a list of the preview images of all active categories. If the user clicks on a preview picture, he gets to the motif overview of the selected category (CategorieView). At this point, a motif API for reading out the category information has also proven to be useful.

The page with the motif list "CategorieView" shows the preview images of all active motifs in the selected category. Clicking on a motif takes the user to the "MotifView" page. The zoom image of the motif is displayed on this page for the motif detail view. On this page, price information for a selected motif can be displayed in advance before the later payment process. This can only be an information about the non-postage components, since the user only decides where to go on later pages

Will send the card and the postage information is therefore not yet available at this time. A motif API is used to read out the category and image information and determination and display of the price a pricing API advantageous.

If the user has decided to use his own motif, he uploads his motif to the "Upload" page. For example, he can use a "Browse" button to determine the file to be used. A "Next" button triggers the upload and sends the data to "OwnMotifPreview", which accepts the data and uses it to generate and deliver the preview image.

OwnMotifView accepts the image data and checks whether the file is not larger than a maximum permissible upper limit. If the specified file is larger than a configured upper limit (MaxDenySize), attempts to misuse it can be assumed. The upload is canceled and an error message is expediently returned.

If the data has been received and no errors have been detected, the application pre-checks the image. It is checked whether:

The image has a valid JPG header.

- The file name ends in .jpg or .jpeg (case-sensitive).

the dpi number is not higher than the maximum allowed. (Upper limit preferably configurable, default is e.g. 300)

- The file size is not larger than the maximum allowed. (Upper limit is preferably configurable, default is e.g. 300 KB)

If the file does not meet the requirements, an error page can be displayed. If the file is correct, a MOTIF_BUILDER task is created and the file is saved as Task_File stores. The task creates a preview image from the user's JPG, which shows how the image is positioned on the postcard and the print PDF. The application polls the status of the task at configurable intervals. If the result is available within a configurable period, the preview page is delivered with the preview image. The preview image has a white frame for images that do not fill the postcard format and is displayed with a 1-point frame to clarify the positioning of images that do not fill the postcard format. If the task result is not available or an error has occurred, an error page is displayed.

The user is offered links to an HTML editor (EditHTML) and a Java editor (EditJava) on the preview page (OwnMotifView).

On the "EditHTML" page, the user enters his postcard text, the address details and (optionally) his email address using an HTML form. The buttons "Back", "Preview" and "Next" are offered. "Back" leads back to "MotifView" or "OwnMotifView" depending on whether the user uses their own or a standard motif.

"Preview" offers the user the option of a preview PDF. This is opened in a separate window (TextPreview). "Next" saves the user's data and sends it to SendPostcard, which creates a user job.

With "Preview" and "Next", the user input is preferably first checked on the client side using JavaScript. For example, it checks whether a specified email address is RFC-compliant and whether address data has been entered. With "Next" it is additionally checked whether the general terms and conditions (GTC) have been confirmed. If Germany is selected as the country, it is checked whether the postcode or city and at least two further address fields have been filled in, and whether the postcode for Germany, for example, has five digits and is numeric. If an error has been identified, the user is notified of the error with an alert box. If all tests have been passed successfully, the data are sent to a special (server-side) interaction page.

With "Preview", the interaction page creates a task that generates Duck PDF and Preview PDF. The application polls the status of the task at configurable intervals. If the result is not available within a configurable period or if an error has occurred, an error page is displayed. If the task was successful, the preview PDF is opened in a separate window (TextPreview).

If you click "Next", the interaction page checks whether there are current preview and print PDFs that the user may have already created via "Preview". If current PDFs are available, they will be used; the task does not have to be called again. If there are no PDFs yet or if the user has changed their map data compared to those used for PDF generation, a task is created that generates the PDFs again. The data is then called up on SendPostcard, which creates the user job.

On the "EditJava" page, the user enters card text and address data using a Java applet. In addition, the note about the general terms and conditions is included in the applet. The applet sends the card text data to the server 22 in a special XML format. The advantage of the applet is that the user can be provided with WYSIWYG functionality ("What You See Is What You Get") for data input. The buttons "Back", "Preview" and "Next" are offered. "Back" leads back to "MotifView" or "OwnMotifView" depending on whether the user uses his own or a standard motif.

"Preview" offers the user the option of a preview PDF. This is opened in a separate window (TextPreview). "Next" saves the user's data and sends it to SendPostcard, which creates the user job.

With "Preview" and "Next", the user input is first checked on the client side using JavaScript. The check is carried out as with the HTML editor.

The fonts and colors offered are preferably configurable. If the user does not select a font or color, it has proven to be useful to use the default setting. If the entered map text does not fit on the designated area, a warning is advised, but the PDF is generated. Text that is no longer suitable is cut off.

The "TextPreview" page is called up by clicking the "Preview" button on EditJava and EditHTML. TextPreview is opened as a separate window that only contains the generated preview PDF of the text page and no layout. The user can save or print the PDF via browser functionalities and close the window again.

If the user has created his card via EditHTML or EditJava, the order data is sent to SendPostcard. SendPostcard is a page that is not visible to the user. The site accepts the data, checks the address data and the terms and conditions in addition to the client-side check that has already been carried out (based on the same criteria) and then creates the user job and carries out the determination of the price for the postcard. If these were successful, SendPostcard redirects to an invoice component 91, via which the payment is processed. This invoice component is referred to below as the billing server.

The billing server 91 is responsible for processing the payment of orders. The billing server can accommodate modules for an unlimited number of payment systems. Even if the billing server is shown in FIG. 3 as a separate component, it is preferably not operated in the form of a separate application or instance, but is an integral part of the front end and is also considered below as part of the front end.

The billing server determines which payment methods are available for an order and offers them to the user for an interactive payment process. For example, micro-payment systems such as T-Pay, Firstgate, etc. can be used.

The billing server is preferably expanded in such a way that the payment process for sponsored user jobs always takes place automatically, without the user initiating it. Sponsored jobs can be paid for by direct debit, for example, which presupposes that the payer has an active bank account. If a payment process is confirmed by a user or a payer, the user is automatically forwarded to a confirmation page (SendConfirmation).

Regardless of how the order for a postcard to be printed and sent was generated, the

Interface 30 the data for this job of a processing component 70. In a particularly preferred embodiment of the invention, the processing component comprises nente two so-called back-end services, which generate the PDF files and the preview files that are preferably required for the subsequent print production 50. A backend service for image creation 71 generates preview and print data for the motif. Another component for creating text templates 72 generates a print and preview PDF of the text page. The print files are preferably generated as PDF files in a special postcard format which, for example, has an additional border in order to avoid a white border or the overlap with other motifs on the resulting mail item.

The preparation and conversion of data for the production of a postcard is described below as an example. It has proven useful that the text for a postcard to be generated can be delivered in three formats: Piain text (simple text), RTF (Rieh Text Format) and XML (Extensible Markup Language).

The XML format corresponds to the printing instructions as they are preferably processed on the card production side.

With this, one-line text blocks, lines and pictures can be positioned with millimeter precision. Therefore, it is preferably converted into XML format.

The format plain text is therefore converted into an XML format within the editing component 70, so that an associated template creation core only has to be able to process the XML format. The RTF format is also converted to XML by a module.

The Piain Text format corresponds to normal, unformatted text and is supplied by the frontend when the text has been entered by the user in an HTML order component. The font and size of the entire text of the card can be transferred from the front end. It is preferred that the text entered via a website or a mobile device is positioned line by line by the backend services of the editing component. If a line of text is wider than the text area of a postcard, it is wrapped with a suitable space.

The JPG format is preferably supported for the motif of a postcard. If the JPG image contains information about its resolution (in dpi), it is advantageous to use it to determine the real size of the image (in mm). If no information on the resolution is available, a standard resolution is expediently assumed. The standard resolution can be 96 dpi, for example.

The documents to be printed consist of a production text page 100 and a production motif page 110, as shown side by side in FIG. 2. The documents are preferably created as single-sided PDF files in a special postcard format that has an additional border in order to avoid a white border or the overlap with other motifs on the resulting postcard.

The production text page 100 can, for example, elements such as card text 101, delivery information (recipient address) 102, information on copyrights 103, a company logo 104, a

Postage indicia or a stamp 105, an advance notice 106 and / or a graphic element in the form of a vertical line 107 for dividing the postcard into two areas. The layout of this page can be predefined, with certain parameters such as

Edges and distances are expediently configurable. For example, if the user wants their own logo file upload, this can be done via a corresponding link.

In a particularly preferred embodiment of the invention, the backend services generate a production PDF file and optionally a preview PDF file. The production PDF file contains a page that is preferably larger than a normal postcard on which the given text is positioned.

In addition to the production PDF file, two different preview PDF files can be created:

• a PDF file with one page (DIN A6) with the

Text PDF file is placed over a static PDF file to give the customer an impression of the resulting postcard.

• A PDF file on a page slightly larger than A5, on which the two postcard pages (picture and text) are arranged one below the other.

Fonts that are not standard fonts in the PDF format and are in TrueType format are embedded in the PDF file and can thus be made available to the printer.

If the user of the system uploads his own image motif, a PDF file is generated which contains the image motif uploaded by the customer and which is positioned according to certain rules. If an image is not uploaded in a specific color space, it can be converted into the required color space. Since the CMYK color space is preferred for printing postcards, an image uploaded in the RGB color space is converted into the CMYK color space for the production PDF. For the generated preview image (JPG) the RGB The color space is retained, or the image is converted to the RGB color space if CMYK was uploaded.

The backend services analyze the image uploaded by the user and generate a PDF file for production and a JPG image for preview in the front end. The scaling / positioning is not carried out by the backend service, but is integrated into the PDF file with appropriate parameters (width, height, position). The image can thus be optimally calculated by a RIP (Raster Image Processor). The image for production is converted to the CMYK color model before being placed in the PDF file in order to achieve an optimal print result.

In addition to the high-resolution image in the PDF page, a JPG image with defined dimensions is created for the preview in the front end. This image has a white background and corresponds to the layout of the resulting PDF file.

The processing component 70 transfers the print jobs generated by the back-end services to a print production 50 which executes the print jobs. This print production component is preferably designed in such a way that it can produce different postal products. For example, she can print postcards or letters. In order to be able to produce the most varied of postal products as flexibly as possible, it can be expedient to connect various print production components to the system 10 and / or to integrate them into the system. For example, print production can generate a specific postal product. The print productions can be system-specific components or connected print service providers, which accept print jobs and follow them up

Handover to a distribution system 90.

In the event that the user has a motif for a postcard selected from a given collection, these motifs are stored as pre-ripped PostScript files with crop marks on a local data storage device of the printer. For example, the PostScript files have the format: 151.5 x 108 mm. The crop marks are designed to match the format

148.5 x 105 mm is trimmed. For production, print production 50 requires a reference to the file locally held on the printing press.

There are pre-ripped PostScript files on the collator for all text pages. These files include, for example, the payer logo, the indicium and the vertical line in the middle. All other texts (copyright, text field, address field) are in a PDF file created by the backend services. The SDL (Service Data

Line) is a unique numbering for reprints and is generated during production.

If the user uploads his own image file to insert it on the motif page, a PDF file is required for the production, on which the image is located. This PDF file was created by a backend service. Print production 50 inserts crop marks during production. The creation of the text page corresponds to the previously described creation of this page when a user selects predetermined motifs.

The method according to the invention and the associated system for carrying out the method have various advantages. First, it allows users of the system to

To order individual mailings to be sent, the users being able to design the mailings themselves to a high degree. A user can not only choose between a predefined selection of motifs, he can also Upload your own pictures. The preferred generation of orders via applications on a website makes it very easy to send mail and does not require any specially adapted additional components on the user side. Generating orders using a mobile device such as a cell phone is also a convenient and quick way to generate digital images and send them, for example, as postcards. In particular for payers, the described embodiments of sponsored events offer various options for using the sponsored sending of postcards as a promotion. The effort required for a payer's appearance can be determined in stages by the payer.

Reference symbol list:

10 shipping service system

20 Order component, frontend 21 Website shipping service system

22 Server shipping service system

30 Frontend interface 40 Postal product 50 Print production 60 Payer

61 Website sponsor

62 server sponsor

70 Processing component, backend services

71 Creation of image motifs 72 Creation of text templates

80 mobile terminal

81 Mobile device interface

90 distribution system

91 Billing component / Billingserver 100 text page

101 card text

102 Delivery information

103 Information on copyrights

104 company logo 105 franking mark, postage stamp

106 advance notice

107 Graphic elements for dividing postcards

108 postcard motif 110 motif page

Claims

claims:

1. Procedure for the automated commissioning and implementation of printing and postal services

Services within a shipping service system (10), in which the order data for a mail item (40) to be printed and sent are generated on an order component, characterized by the following steps:

- Generation of order data by an order component, the order data consisting at least of an image motif and delivery information;

Transmission of the order data via an interface (30) to a database (31),

- preparation of the order data for a print order in a preparation component (70) connected to the database (30),

- Transmission of the print job to a print production (50),

- Creation of a mail item (40) in print production (50),

- Transfer of the mail item (40) to a distribution system (90), and

- Billing of the printing service and the postal service via an invoice component (91).

2nd Method according to claim 1, characterized in that the order component generates an order for a mail item to be printed and sent by a user specifying at least one image motif and delivery information.

3. The method according to one or both of claims 1 and 2, dadurcli characterized in that the image motif for an order is an image generated on the user side or an image from a selection given to him.

4. The method according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that the postal item (40) to be printed and sent is a postcard, greeting card and / or folding card.

5. The method according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that the invoice component (91) bills the printing service and the postal service to a user of the shipping service system (10) in full or in part, wherein this user for an order generated printing and mailing to send.

6. The method according to one or more of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the invoice component (91) bills the printing service and the postal service to a user registered in the shipping service system (10) (payer) (60) completely or partially , whereby this user has not generated the order for a mail item to be printed and sent.

7. The method according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that the billing of the printing service and the postal service via the invoice component (91) takes place before the printing and sending of a mail item (40).

8. The method according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that the order for a mail item (40) to be printed and sent is generated via applications of a website in connection with an associated server, and the order data via an interface ( 30) a database (31) are transmitted.

9. A method according to claim 8, characterized in that the website in connection with an associated server is a website (21) of the shipping service system (10) or a website (61) of a payer (60).

10. The method according to one or both of claims 8 and 9, characterized in that the user automatically by means of corresponding links of a website (61) of a payer (60)

Applications of a website (21) of the shipping service system (10) is directed such that the user uses these applications to generate an order for a mail item (40) to be printed and sent, and the server (22) for one

Order a database (31) transmitted.

11. A method according to claim 10, characterized in that the automatic forwarding of the user from the website (61) of the payer (60) to the website (21) of the shipping service system (10) via a mutual communication process between the server (62) of the Payer (60) and the server (22) of the shipping service system (10).

12. A method according to claim 11, characterized in that the mutual communication process comprises checking whether the user has entered the website (21) of the shipping service system (10) via the website (61) of the payer (60).

13. The method according to claim 12, characterized in that no generation of an order is possible if the check shows that the user does not use the website (21) of the shipping service system (10) via the website (61) of the payer (60). has entered.

14. The method according to one or both of claims 8 and 9, characterized in that the order for a mail item (40) to be printed and sent is generated on the website (61) of a payer (60), and the associated server (62 ) transmits the data for the order to the server (22) of the shipping service system (10), which transmits the data to the database (31).

15. The method according to one or more of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the order for a mail item (40) to be printed and sent via a mobile

Terminal (80) is generated and that the data for an order are transmitted via an interface (30) to a database (31).

16. The method according to claim 15, characterized in that the data for an order of the interface (30) are transmitted via a second interface (81).

17. The method according to claim 16, characterized in that the second interface (81) in the data

Format converted, which can be processed by the interface (30).

18. System for carrying out a method for automated commissioning and implementation of printing services and postal services, in which an order for an order for a mail item (40) to be printed and sent can be generated by a user, characterized in that it is used to carry out a Method according to one or more of claims 1 to 17 is suitable.

19. System for the automated commissioning and implementation of printing services and postal services, in which an order for an order component for a mail item (40) to be printed and sent can be generated by a user, characterized in that the system comprises at least the following components :

- Means for transmitting the order data from one

Order component via an interface (30) to a database (31),

- a processing component (70) in connection with the database (31) for generating print jobs from the job data,

- a print production (50) in connection with the database (31) for generating the mail item (40), - An invoice component (91) in connection with the database (31) for billing the printing service and the postal service.

20th System according to claim 19, characterized in that the order component is formed by a website and an associated server.

21. System according to claim 20, characterized in that the order component is formed by a mobile terminal (80).

22. System according to one or more of claims 19 to 21, characterized in that the interface (30) is an http interface.

23. System according to one or both of claims 21 and 22, characterized in that for the transmission of data for an order between a mobile terminal (80) and an interface (30), a second interface (81) is connected, the second interface (81) is designed such that it can convert data received from the mobile terminal (80) into a format that can be processed by the interface (30).