Schedule-based printer selection

• US 20030011811A1
• Filed: 07/13/2001
• Published: 01/16/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 07/13/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Clough, James
• Granted Patent: US 7,084,997 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 3/1205 resulting in increased flexibility in print job configuration, e.g. job settings, print requirements, job tickets
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1226 Discovery of devices having required properties
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/126 Job scheduling, e.g. queuing, determine appropriate device
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1285 Remote printer device, e.g. being remote from client or server

Abstract

A method and a system for selecting a printing site for a print job based on a schedule. The schedule includes a printing period linked to an appointment location. A start time for printing is compared with the printing period. If the start time is within the printing period, a printer is selected that corresponds to the appointment location.

Claims

1. A method for selecting a printing site for a print job based on a schedule, comprising the steps of:

receiving input parameters, where the input parameters include a start time, and a printing period linked to an appointment location;

comparing the start time with the printing period;

identifying the appointment location if the start time is included in the printing period; and

selecting a printer that corresponds to the identified appointment location, based on a printer-location table.

2. The method of claim 1, where the printing period includes a pre-appointment interval.

3. The method of claim 1, where the printing period includes a peri-appointment interval.

4. The method of claim 1, where the start time is current time.

5. The method of claim 1, further including requesting a confirmation of the printer.

6. The method of claim 1, where correspondence between the printer and the appointment location is based on proximity.

7. The method of claim 6, further including ranking a plurality of printers in the printer-location table based on relative proximity to the appointment location.

8. A system for selecting a printing site for a print job based on a schedule, comprising:

a printer that corresponds to an appointment location; and

a processor operatively linked to the printer, the processor employing a schedule and a printer-location table to select the printer,

where the schedule includes the appointment location linked to a printing period, the printer-location table identifies the printer as corresponding to the appointment location, and the processor is adapted to compare the printing period with a start time, and to select the printer if the start time is within the printing period.

9. The system of claim 8, where the printing period includes a pre-appointment interval.

10. The system of claim 8, where the printing period includes a peri-appointment interval.

11. The system of claim 8, where the processor is further adapted to request a confirmation of the printer.

12. The system of claim 11, where the processor is adapted to offer a default printer in the confirmation request, as an alternative.

13. The system of claim 8, where correspondence between the printer and the appointment location is based on proximity.

15. The program storage device of claim 14, where the printing period includes a pre-appointment interval.

16. The program storage device of claim 14, where the printing period includes a peri-appointment interval.

17. The program storage device of claim 14, where the start time is current time.

18. The program storage device of claim 14, further including requesting a confirmation of the printer.

19. The program storage device of claim 14, where correspondence between the printer and the appointment location is based on proximity.

20. The program storage device of claim 19, further including ranking a plurality of printer-location table based on relative proximity to the appointment location.

14. A program storage device readable by a processor, tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by the processor to perform method steps for selecting a printing site for a print job based on a schedule, the method steps comprising:

receiving input parameters, where the input parameters include a start time, and a printing period linked to an appointment location;

comparing the start time with the printing period;

identifying the appointment location if the start time is included in the printing period; and

selecting a printer that corresponds to the identified appointment location, based on a printer-location table.