DIRECTING PRINT JOBS IN A NETWORK PRINTING SYSTEM

• US 20030011805A1
• Filed: 06/11/1996
• Published: 01/16/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 06/11/1996
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Oracle America, Inc. (Oracle Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Sun Microsystems Incorporated (Oracle Corporation)
• Inventors: YACOUB, YOUSEF R.
• Granted Patent: US 6,552,813 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 3/1207 resulting in the user being informed about print result after a job submission
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/121 Facilitating exception or error detection and recovery, e.g. fault, media or consumables depleted
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1226 Discovery of devices having required properties
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1234 Errors handling and recovery, e.g. reprinting G06F3/1261 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1259 Print job monitoring, e.g. job status
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/126 Job scheduling, e.g. queuing, determine appropriate device
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1261 by using alternate printing
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1288 in client-server-printer device configuration

Abstract

A virtual printer for print jobs printed on networked printers. First, the virtual printer checks a user'"'"'s preferences regarding a print job the user wishes to send such as speed and image quality. Next, the virtual printer determines, using a server, database or other query, the most appropriate printer complying with the print job preferences, and located physically near the user and sends the print job to that printer. If the printer returns an error signal, the virtual printer will determine a different printer which closely complies with the print job preferences and re-send the print job. If a busy signal is returned, the user will be given the choice of waiting or having the virtual printer automatically determine the next available appropriate printer. When the print job is complete, the user will be notified of the physical location of the printer where the print job was processed.

Claims

1. In a network having a client which generates a print job, a printing system comprising:

a virtual printer coupled to said client, said virtual printer receiving preferences of said print job from said client; and

an actual printer coupled to said virtual printer and to said network, said actual printer initiated to process said print job upon the virtual printer automatically determining that said actual printer complies with said preferences.

2. A printing system according to claim 1 wherein said virtual printer receives error signals from said actual printer, said error signals triggering termination of processing of said print job on said actual printer and automatically initiating processing of said print job on printer coupled to the network other than said actual printer upon the virtual printer automatically determining that said printer other than said actual printer complies at least partially with said preferences.

3. A printing system according to claim 1 further comprising a database coupled to said virtual printer cataloging the capabilities of printers on said network.

4. A printing system according to claim 1 further comprising a server coupled to said network and storing a database cataloging the capabilities of printers on said network, said server coupled to said virtual printer to enable said virtual printer to access said database.

5. A printing system according to claim 1 wherein said preferences include print image quality and speed of said print job.

6. A printing system according to claim 1 wherein said preferences include the distance from and location of said actual printer in relation to said client.

7. A printing system according to claim 1 wherein said preferences include color images and black-and-white images of said print job.

8. A printing system according to claim 2 wherein said error signals include a printer busy signal.

9. A printing system according to claim 8 further comprising a dialog coupled to said client to enable a user to select continuing processing of said print job on said actual printer upon said printer busy signal being cleared rather than initiating processing of said print job on a printer other than said actual printer.

10. A printing system according to claim 2 wherein said error signals include an out-of-paper signal.

11. In a network connecting a plurality of clients with a server, said clients generating print jobs, a printing system comprising:

a virtual printer coupled to each client, said virtual printer receiving preferences of a print job generated by the client to which the virtual printer is coupled, said virtual printer communicating said preferences to said server and transferring said print job generated by the client to said server; and

an actual printer coupled to said network and to said server, said actual printer initiated to process said print job upon said server automatically determining that said actual printer complies with said preferences.

12. A printing system according to claim 11 wherein said server receives error signals from said actual printer, said error signals triggering termination of processing said print job by said actual printer and triggering processing of said print job by printer coupled to the network other than said actual printer upon the server automatically determining that said printer other than said actual printer complies at least partially with said preferences.

13. A printing system according to claim 11 further comprising a database stored and updated on said server, said database cataloging the capabilities of actual printers on said network.

14. A printing system according to claim 11 further comprising a database stored and updated on said server, said database cataloging the status of actual printers on said network.

15. A printing system according to claim 11 further comprising a database stored and updated on said server, said database maintaining a location mapping of printer on said network.

16. A printing system according to claim 11 wherein said preferences include print image quality and speed of said print job.

17. A printing system according to claim 11 wherein said preferences include the distance and location of said first printer in relation to said client generating said print job.

18. A printing system according to claim 12 wherein said error signals include printer busy signal.

19. A printing system according to claim 12 wherein said error signals include an out-of-paper signal.

20. A printing system according to claim 18 further comprising a dialog coupled to said client to enable a user to select continuing processing of said print job on said actual printer upon said printer busy signal being cleared rather than initiating processing of said print job on a printer other than said actual printer.

21. A method of managing a print job in a network having a plurality of printers, said method comprising the

checking preferences of a user regarding said print job;

automatically determining an appropriate printer from the plurality of printers that complies with said preferences;

sending said print job to said appropriate printer; and

notifying said user of the physical location of said appropriate printer and notifying said user that said print job has been completed, upon said appropriate printer successfully completing said print job.

22. A method of managing a print job in a network environment having a plurality of printers and a server, said method comprising the steps of:

checking preferences of a user regarding said print job;

spooling said print job to said server;

the server automatically determining an appropriate printer from said plurality of printers that complies with said preferences;

sending said print job to said appropriate printer; and

notifying said user of the physical location of said appropriate printer and notifying said user that said print job has been completed, upon said appropriate printer successfully completing said print job.