KIRKLAND, Wash., Dec. 17 - ImageX has received a Notice Of Allowance from the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office for a second patent relating to its ImageX Print System technology. A patent on this application is expected to be issued soon. The patent filing covers ground-breaking technology to process a print-ready file within an automated print system without human intervention. This method allows ImageX to store digital catalogs of customers' printed materials, which can then be personalized and ordered by the customer and sent directly to the production facility to be printed. ImageX has been processing print-ready files in this manner since it first deployed its print procurement system commercially in 1997. "This way of processing files is a significant breakthrough in the world of printing,'' said Cory Klatt, chief technology officer, ImageX. "By digitally cataloging print-ready files, we are able to process orders without human intervention, thus cutting error rates to less than 0.5%, compared with an industry average of 7-20%, and speeding order cycle times by up to 70%.'' "ImageX is setting the standard for corporate print procurement,'' said Rich Begert, president and CEO, ImageX. "Companies like Dow Chemical, UBS PaineWebber and Crate & Barrel have chosen ImageX to produce their branded communications materials because our technology allows us to deliver a substantially lower total cost of print along with accurate and timely print manufacturing -- something no other printer can provide.''