System and method for determining the time required to complete a print job

• US 20020135799A1
• Filed: 03/23/2001
• Published: 09/26/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 03/23/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Simpson, Shell S., Foster, Ward S., Livingston, Kris R.
• Granted Patent: US 7,158,247 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 358/1.15
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1204 resulting in reduced user or operator actions, e.g. presetting, automatic actions, using hardware token storing data
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1208 resulting in improved quality of the output result, e.g. print layout, colours, workflows, print preview
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1256 User feedback, e.g. print preview, test print, proofing, pre-flight checks
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/126 Job scheduling, e.g. queuing, determine appropriate device
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1288 in client-server-printer device configuration

Abstract

This invention relates to a Web-based imaging system that provides print job time estimates. Such systems of this type, generally, tell the user, prior to printing, how long it will take the target printer to print the print job, as expected.

Claims

1. A method for print job time estimating, wherein said method is comprised of the steps of:

selecting a document to be printed;

selecting a target printer;

viewing a characteristic of the document on target printer home page;

determining the amount of time required for the target printer to print the document; and

printing the document.

2. The method, as claim 1, wherein said document selecting step is further comprised of the step of:

composing a document to be printed.

3. The method, as claim 1, wherein said document selecting step is further comprised of the step of:

obtaining a target image from a first web site.

4. The method, as in claim 1, wherein said viewing step is further comprised of the step of:

viewing a print preview image.

5. The method, as in claim 1, wherein said determining step is further comprised of the steps of:

viewing said document to be printed and determining a number of copies of said document to be printed; and

interacting with said target printer.

6. The method, as in claim 5, wherein said interacting step is further comprised of the steps of:

employing a browser located substantially within a computer;

establishing a connection between said browser and a server located substantially on a printer; and

interacting between said browser and said server.

7. The method, as in claim 5, wherein said interacting step is further comprised of the steps of:

employing a browser located substantially within a computer;

establishing a connection between said browser and a server located substantially on a first web site; and

interacting between said browser and said server.

8. The method, as in claim 5, wherein said interacting step is further comprised of the steps of:

employing a browser located substantially within a computer;

establishing a connection between said browser and a server located substantially on a second computer; and

interacting between said browser and said server.

9. The method, as in claim 1, wherein said method is further comprised of the step of:

showing a preview of said characteristic of said document on a target printer home page.

10. The method, as in claim 1, wherein said determining step is further comprised of the step of:

providing an indication from said target printer as to the amount of time required for said printer to complete said printing of said document.

11. The method, as in claim 9, wherein said determining step is further comprised of the step of:

providing an indication from said target printer home page as to the amount of time required for said target printer to complete said printing of said document.

12. The method, as in claim 1, wherein said determining step is further comprised of the step of:

calculating an estimated amount of time required to print said document on said target printer.

13. The method, as in claim 10, wherein said indication is further comprised of:

a display means.

14. The method, as in claim 11, wherein said indication is further comprised of:

a display means.

15. The method, as in claim 10, wherein said indication is further comprised of:

a light means.

16. The method, as in claim 11, wherein said indication is further comprised of:

a light means.

17. A program storage medium readable by a computer, tangibly embodying a program of instruction executable by the computer to perform method steps for using a resource of an external device, the method steps comprising:

selecting a document to be printed;

selecting a target printer;

viewing a characteristic of the document on a target printer home page;

determining if the target printer can print said document in a desired time period; and

printing the document on the media.